Elitist Theory
by AnimeSiren
Summary: Being outcasts in elitist society is only harder when that society is a private school for the conservative and wealthy. Five boys will have to over come not only sporting events and bad dorm mates, but homophobia, racism, and unwanted emotions. AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Elitist Theory**

**Prologue: Chapter One**

_Enjoy._

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the original characters or storylines in any part of the fanfiction that follows, only the plot bunny that started this all.

**X-_X-_X**

The lives of elite students everywhere changed with the opening of the St. Gabriel's Institution; the plan was originally set into effect in A.C. 195 when a man by the name of Michael Gabriel decided to open an institution that would specialize in the teaching of the academically elite.

These students would be taught by the best, and they would hopefully be fostered to improve the systems of government and public sectors alike. However what were to be the sociological repercussion of just such an act.

Were these teenagers ready to be fostered like cattle? Were these teenagers prepared to act like anything other than…teenagers?

X-_X-_X

"Class," The red haired women in the front waved her hand once to get all the students attention before setting her briefcase on her desk and moving to stand behind it. "My name is Anna Morosely and I will be your core teacher. Everyone in this class is a transfer student, as you can obviously see; you will not be ranked as a freshman class."

X-_X-_X

The school was centered and focused on the educational advancement of students between the ages of fourteen to nineteen. In total it only had a group of one hundred and thirty five students however the class loads were full and the hours were rather long.

It was a high school rank, a college setting, a crop of hand chosen youth, and an uncertain objective.

X-_X-_X

"I would like to welcome you to St. Gabriel's Institution and congratulate you on gaining admittance!" She spoke with an extra cheery voice that was not welcome at eight in the morning by our young geniuses. Nor was her voice necessarily believable, she seemed to be an over stressed, over caffeinated woman.

There actually didn't appear to be much of a difference from these academically advanced students to those that go to a normal high school. You could tell who the oddballs out were and you could already see where the cliques had formed.

These students would be looked towards to reflect the top of society, the elite of society.

X-_X-_X

The classes were divided up into groups of twenty who would take their first two years of the school together, with the same teacher. There were five years of the school and the fifth was primarily used for college preparation, such as in France when they prepare for the bac.

The campus was that of a college and the students stayed in dorms on campus, giving it all the more luster of a private school. There were students of all different backgrounds in attendance. Students on scholarship, and students on family money, the only thing that all the students could claim to have in common was an IQ like no other.

X-_X-_X

"I'd like us to start our first day by asking you to get to know one another," the teacher sat in her chair, having previously gotten done writing her name on the white promethean board for the students. "We'll start on the right side of the room and go along the rows, I want you to stand and say your name then something you would say to describe yourself."

Many of the students groaned but the student in the first seat of the far right row stood up in accordance with the teacher's wishes. Every student, no matter the type hated the inevitable "get to know you" game.

"My name's Duo Maxwell, and I may run and hide but I never lie!" he spoke out with a grin leaning on his desk a bit and finishing his statement with a flourish. His long, brunette braid twitched back in forth as he spoke.

"Thank you Mr. Maxwell," said the teacher, her tone was curt and she looked him up and down with a raised brow "However if you'd be so kind, please follow the guidelines of the Student Dress Code."

The boy named Duo just sat down in his seat and pretended to start fixing his clothes, leaving them the way they were once the teacher glanced away.

X-_X-_X

On the other side of the room a stern boy with Prussian colored eyes observed the longhaired boy named Duo, and resisted a smile once he noticed that he wasn't going to even bother fixing his clothing. However in his own opinion the boy didn't look half bad the way he was, his shirtsleeves were rolled up, his pants hung low on his hips. He also had slung his blazer on the back of the chair and he had loosened his tie and un-tucked his shirt.

He leaned back and debated his choice of phrasing, after all what adolescent boy ever really decided to pledge that he never lied? The Prussian-eyed boy decided that he was going to have to do something to live up to that, the other students certainly weren't.

The rest of the students in that row had been decidedly boring spouting out the usual 'I like sports' 'I like to hang with my friends' or the 'I like to read' nonsense. None of these students were exciting at all, but the braided boy seemed to be.

X-_X-_X

"My Name's Trowa Barton," said boy sat back down in his seat after stating this, however the teacher was of course not going to let him be.

"And what do you like to do for fun, Mr. Barton?" She looked at him with a smile that truly said 'answer the question, now!' it did appear like it was going to be a 'fun' year with this teacher.

"I like to paint," and the boy left it at that.

The teacher moved on.

X-_X-_X

Just diagonal from this Trowa Barton boy a blond haired boy studied him out of half lidded eyes. He did seem to be interesting after all. He had a swatch of gravity defying hair that covered his left eye. The blond boy immediately fell into this Trowa boy's eyes, they were a deep sage and with them being lidded in heavy eyeliner it only made them more apparent.

The blond boy grinned; he was determined to get the attention of that one.

X-_X-_X

Trowa could feel the eyes on him, and it wasn't the normal watching type stare either. He wouldn't have been curious if it had been the simple 'your weird, therefore I am determined to look at you and attempt to make you feel uncomfortable' type of look. The look he felt on himself was full of intensity, and he realized that whoever was watching him was not only studying his looks but his character as well.

Just as he turned to catch the eyes of whoever was watching him, the person stood up. It was the blond boy that was seated diagonally back from him, and he was still looking at him, even as he stood.

However in the next moment he gave a small smile to Trowa and turned to look back at the teacher, to introduce himself. He had an air of apparent quiet politeness to him, and a graceful, probably aristocratic, background.

"My name is Quatre Raberba Winner," at this he paused just the slightest moment, resisting the urge to wink at Trowa "And I'm gay."

There was a slightly tense stunned silence from the class; obviously no one had expected this type of statement from anyone in the class, least of all the shy blond boy in the back row.

And at that Quatre Raberba Winner sat back down he caught the eye of Trowa once more, giving him a small smirk type grin to go along with his usual small smile.

Trowa simply met his eyes, raising a brow that clearly said 'touché,' before he turned back into his seat.

X-_X-_X

The Prussian eyed boy in the back left corner observed all of this with a steady look, to him it seemed as if there was not only going to be one curious student this year, there was going to be several.

He was tempted to give a grin of anticipation.

X-_X-_X

By this time it reached the next student of oddities, the aforementioned student had had just enough of this 'getting to know you' exercise, he felt that they shouldn't be wasting time and should be focusing on the lesson.

It didn't help that the braided moron from two rows over kept flicking paper balls at him.

He stood up when the person before him had barely finished and spoke with spitfire speed. "My name is Wufei Chang, and I like to practice martial arts."

He sat down with much the same speed as he stood up with, making the teacher give him a slightly affronted look. She smoothed her paisley dress and moved on.

X-_X-_X

'Ha ha!' thought Duo. 'This one might be worth getting to know as well.'

He had already decided to befriend the artist and also the blond boy who sat behind him, and in the next row respectively. And now it looked like there was going to be another one to add to the 'group' that he had already began to envision in his mind

He figured they'd all make excellent friends this year, their oddities bonding them together.

X-_X-_X

The Prussian-eyed boy was the very last student to state his name, and he was partly thankful for it. As he stood up he heard the girl across form him whisper excitedly to the girl next to her, he really couldn't resist rolling his eyes.

"My name is Heero Yuy," and, doing the same as the blond haired boy, he paused for dramatic effect "And if I decide I don't like you, I will kill you."

When he sat back down he met the eyes of all the four students that he had previously singled out. He met Trowa's eyes and immediately knew that they understood each other. He met Quatre's eyes and knew that this was the boy that was going to be the glue that would be able to hold them all together. He met Wufei's eyes and knew that this was going to be the boy that was going to be able to keep him in check. And he met Duo's eyes and knew that he was going to be the one that was going to change his life.

X-_X-_X

And while the boys in that instant found camaraderie they all shared a thought that was the same in its core description.

The blond boy couldn't help but think 'These are the guys that are going to be able to understand me; these are the guys that I'm going to be able to help.'

The braided one had similar but different thoughts he thought that 'These are going to be the guys that I finally call my friends, these are going to be the ones that keep me on Earth.'

The lidded boy didn't really have an over whelming life shattering thought at that moment, but he felt. And he felt that he was going to be able to share himself with these guys, and that he was going to be able to shatter the mask that he always adorned around those that were different than him.

And Wufei and Heero neither thought nor felt, they informed themselves. They knew that they were going to become close to each other, and they knew that they were going to form a bond that even war itself wouldn't ever be able to tear apart.

They were going to be a team.

**X-_X-_X**

**Every chapter after this will definitely be longer, however this was certainly a base for prologue this chapter. Thanks, I hope you review!**

**-AnimeSiren**


	2. Chapter 2

**Elitist Theory**

**Chapter Two**

_Enjoy._

**X-_X-_X**

It wasn't very long at all before the five of them began eating lunch together; it was blaringly obvious that they all naturally gravitated towards one another. It was almost an instantaneously thing actually, they met and they lunched, there was barely any conversation at first. Yet they all agreed in a silent way that they would eat lunch together. It was nice to find solace within each others social oddities.

In the beginning they had a difficult time trying to figure out where to eat their lunch. In the beginning they had eaten on the balcony outside the lunchroom, but after a week the area had been taken over by a small group of environmentalist students who were growing flower boxes out there.

They all refused in some way to eating in the lunch room itself. Quatre was the main one to object to eating in the stuffy room. He had experienced certain slurs that almost made him regret being so blunt on the first day of class. However both Heero, and surprisingly Duo, also objected to the loud room, wanting to eat in a quieter place after the first half of the busy school day.

On the third day of their search they found the perfect place for all of them, a large birch tree in the courtyard. Most of the classroom hallways were closed off to students during the lunch hour; however one side corridor seemed to have escaped that small ban. And the only other people who bothered the quiet quad were two girls, both older than them, who simply read on the other side of the courtyard for the whole hour.

It was flawless how their parts fell into place. They each had a place where they primarily sat near the tree, a thing they primarily did each lunch. Trowa would always sit up on one of the lower branches with his sketchbook, and was most always directly above Heero who would sit, one leg out, back up against the tree, eating his lunch, which was usually an apple or another peace of fruit.

Wufei would sit half way around the tree from Heero with a small lunch of vegetables in his hands and his books set out around him. He would appear to be studying but in reality he was actually listening to the good-natured conversations between Quatre and Duo. Duo would sit at the base of the tree between Heero and Wufei, and Quatre sat on a branch opposite from Trowa.

The lunch quad is where much of the happenings between them occurred, as that was the point when many of the students had the freest time.

X-_X-_X

"Hey Heero man!" shouted Duo from down the corridor. Heero had been about to enter into the science labs, but he stepped back out upon hearing Duo's shout. He wasn't much bothered by the boy distracting him from class, in the beginning it had taken all his spare time to find the labs, but after nearly a month in the school it was simple.

"Have you seen Quat at all today?" he asked as he caught up to Heero. The hallways were busy with students hurrying from class to class, hall to hall, and they were jostled as students exited doors around them.

"No, both you and he were absent from the morning classes," said Heero in response. He noticed the buttons on Duo's blazer were done up wrong, and he had the urge to fix them. He had been noticeably worried when Duo turned up absent from classes that morning.

"Yeah," said Duo stepping up to enter the Science Labs and beckoning Heero to follow him. "He looked weird this morning and I went up to him to see what was wrong and he ran away."

"And you've been looking for him all morning? And during morning break?" asked Heero, he was curious as to Duo's dubious behavior. He himself had searched for Duo during their half hour mid morning break and had been fruitless.

They wandered all the way to the back of the Chemistry Lab and Heero unloaded his books as Duo dropped his bag to the floor. The set of gas equipment blocked them from the majority of the room.

"Well yeah," Duo said as they sat "The thing is I'm pretty sure he was crying, Heero."

Heero looked over at Duo but didn't say anything. Quatre was a normally upbeat person and he really only ever felt down when someone else was sad or depressed. The delicate boy was stronger than most thought; something being upsetting to him was equally upsetting to the rest of newly formed friends.

They didn't really talk the rest of Chemistry lab, but when it ended Heero questioned Duo again as they packed up their lab equipment. Another fifty minutes had passed, fifty minutes where they could have doing something about Quatre.

"Both Trowa and Wufei were in class so why would he have something to be upset about when we are all obviously fine?"

Duo seemed to be acting rather shaken and Heero could actually understand the sentiment. While he didn't usually display emotions, this wasn't really that small of a matter. And while the five of them had only been the close friends for a short while, one of them being upset over something they didn't want to tell one of the others about was something that Heero deemed getting concerned about.

"I don't know," Duo shook his head a bit, his braid swaying as he did so. "Do you think we should look for him at lunch or do you think he'll turn up?"

"Hm," Heero grunted vaguely.

"Got ya'," replied Duo, grinning slightly "We'll wait and see what happens."

X-_X-_X

Quatre wiped his eyes on his shirtsleeve for what seemed to be the millionth time that moment. He just couldn't make his eyes stop watering. He hadn't even bothered trying to make morning classes, after ditching Duo he knew that there'd be questions and he wasn't certain he wanted to try answering them yet.

Just to be safe he'd skip the afternoon classes as well and pay a visit to the infirmary that evening to make it appear as if he had been sick. However he didn't know what to do until then or where to go. He couldn't go back to his dorm room because his friends could find him there, and he couldn't go down into town because both times he had been into the town Duo had driven all of them.

However he figured he really couldn't sit on the same low rock wall for much longer, he had already been there for over an hour and he would more than likely attract a lot of unwanted attention in his baby blue tee and white polo pants. As the rest of the student population would be in their maroon and blue uniforms he would stick out like a sore thumb. He was now regretting rushing out of his room so quickly that morning.

The fact that he couldn't make his eyes stop watering didn't help matters. It just heightened the image of him being a weakling, something he strongly tried to disprove. He had never been more disappointed in himself.

X-_X-_X

Duo and Heero approached the large birch tree with slight trepidation; they hoped they'd find Quatre sitting in his usual spot smiling good naturally; however they were afraid that Quatre wouldn't be there.

Their fears were correct, Quatre was not sitting anywhere remotely near the large tree. The day was cloudy, ironic in its relativity towards their emotions.

"So Q-man hasn't shown up yet," said Duo quietly as they reached the tree. Heero only nodded slightly, however he noticed Trowa's sharp look, as his cat like ears seemed to pick up their conversation. Trowa's face was darker than usual, more melancholy, something Heero took under deep observation.

There was also another oddity about that day; Trowa was perched at the base of the tree, his sketchbook on his knees, rather than on one of the limbs. Heero was certain that this reflected Trowa's nervousness; he must have known or at least acknowledged Quatre's disappearance.

"Have you guys seen Quatre at all?" Duo asked, dropping his nickname habit with the onset of worry. Heero sat down next to Trowa and took out his usual lunch, a red apple.

"No," said Wufei, looking up from his Interplanetary Geometry book "Why?"

However before Duo could tell Wufei what was going on Heero looked Trowa in the eyes and asked him that same question again "Have you seen Quatre, Trowa?"

Trowa looked him steadily in the eyes and replied back a simple "No."

In that moment they both knew that Trowa was lying. Heero kept looking at Trowa while Duo gabbed the tale to Wufei in the back ground, not only did the situation appear to be exactly like Heero thought but his theory was only confirmed when Trowa broke eye contact and looked away. Trowa never backed down.

Heero leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice "What happened, Trowa?"

"Nothing," replied Trowa, his voice was getting testy, which wasn't actually odd for him because he did have odd bouts of frustration every now and then, however he turned his head completely away from Heero.

They both remained silent after this; Heero knew that Trowa knew that he knew. And the fact that Heero knew this only made it that more concerning. If his theory was correct that he was going to have to deal with a friend's broken heart. Something he was definitely not trained to do.

Their silence was broken by an eruption in the background.

"Maxwell! Get your ass off my papers!" Wufei's voice was shrieking from the other side of the tree. "_Those are my notes damn it_!"

X-_X-_X

Quatre smiled good-naturedly at the nurse as he took the bag from her hands. He didn't have to fake the look of pain on his face, but of course the nurse thought it was from a stomach bug, and had thus given him a stomach pill that would allow him to feel better for the night.

He bid her his goodbyes and said thank you and she wished him well in the morning. And as he shut the wooden infirmary door she gave him stern instruction to come back in the morning if he wasn't feeling any better.

Quatre had decided earlier to escape to the schools botanical gardens which wouldn't be in use by other students that day, so he had found a barren corner and skulked in silence, with little to no disturbance.

He set off across campus at a slow pace, there was still a chance that the boys would look in Quatre's dorm room for him and he wanted to delay that as long as possible. He didn't think that if they had already been to his dorm room once they'd come back. His roommate was a taller guy from a couple years up who liked silence and who scared Duo, however he was perfectly civil to Quatre but Quatre didn't think that if his friends had disturbed him once they'd do it again.

All the same he took the long path back to his dorm, just to avoid any conflict and to maybe observe the setting sun as he walked.

He tossed away the pills the nurse gave him, he doubted that anything would help him feel better or sleep.

X-_X-_X

Heero and Wufei left their Shakespearean Literature lecture and hurried to find the others in the crowded corridors, they had decided in their previous class to try to get the others together and go look for him before curfew came.

Wufei had been more than a little disgruntled at having to do this as he'd rather sit with the other boys and study or do something productive. He also said that Quatre should be able to take care of himself and that if he was hiding he probably didn't want to be found.

Heero countered this by saying that it was an 'injustice' for him as a friend to leave Quatre out by himself, with turbulent emotions.

Hook, line, and sinker.

"Yo!" Duo's voice came from behind them. Both he and Trowa were there, so they no longer needed to go looking for them. "You guys want to go looking for Q-Man?"

"Yeah," said Heero.

"We were just coming to look for you," said Wufei. He tethered a glare towards Duo.

"Well, great minds think alike," said Duo grinning, "On a different note, where are we going to look?"

"Everywhere," replied Wufei, rolling his eyes. His voice belied his attitude though, Quatre was a friend, and he was concerned as well.

"Yeah, but I mean where exactly?" shot back Duo. "I know that the stick in your ass would probably leave a gaping wound that Quat could hide in, but I just don't think he's there.

"We'll have to split up," queued in Heero before Wufei could launch himself across the circle at Duo. "We'll look in the usual places and then we'll look in the logical ones."

"The logical ones?" asked Duo skeptically.

"He mean the places where Quatre would run to, not just the places he'd skulk in," Trowa said, joining in the conversation. The other two boys didn't notice as he shot Heero a semi-scathing look.

"Oh," said Duo "So who goes where?"

"I'll take the outer buildings, and class areas," said Wufei, walking off immediately, not to be argued with. He shot Duo a glare over his shoulder, to which Duo smiled and waved happily back at.

"So where do you want me to go?" asked Duo, looking away from Wufei's retreating form and over to Heero.

"Take the dorms, the bathrooms, showers, anywhere like that," Heero said back. His voice had previously been laced with a line of concern but it had dropped to a monotone, he was planning and leading now, nothing more.

"Aye, aye," said Duo, giving a mocking salute. But the next moment he grimaced "I checked his dorm room this morning and Frankenstein was pissed at me as it was for disturbing him."

Heero sighed internally, Quatre was able to get along with his roommate but no body else sure could. His name was Johann Mather and he was the embodiment of "Bite is worse than bark" sort of thing.

"I'll take those areas instead," said Trowa "That way you don't have to disturb Mather a second time."

Heero vetoed that idea "No," he said. "Its unlikely Quatre would be back in his dorm anyways. Duo, just check the lounge areas instead of the dorms."

He looked towards Trowa with a stern face, but it was with a monotonous voice that he spoke "I want you to take the botanical areas and the administrative buildings."

"Fine," muttered Trowa in a low voice, and then he slinked off.

"Hey Heero, what's up though?" Duo asked moving closer to him in order to talk more softly with him. "Normally you'd go along with Trowa's suggestion."

"He's going to find Quatre going that way," Heero said before turning briskly and beginning to walk in the same direction as Trowa.

"What do you mean?" asked Duo jogging briefly to catch up with him. His eye briefly ran up and down Heero's jogging form.

"Quatre wouldn't go any place we could find him, or any place where he could get in a conflict with another student," Heero was cooling his features again to become the usual stoic mask.

"Then if you know where he is why couldn't we all just go after him?" Duo asked. He surveyed the area in the dying light "Seems like it'd be easier."

"Because this is Trowa's fault and he needs to fix it himself," muttered Heero almost indistinctly.

"What?"

"Come on, we'll circle around the administrative building and keep up behind Trowa," Heero began lightly jogging now.

"What!"

"Hurry up, Duo!"

X-_X-_X

Trowa knew he'd find Quatre there, either on that path or just off it, it was really simple. All you had to know was what Quatre would do in a situation like this, and Quatre himself.

Quatre had stopped when he heard the footsteps behind him; he stopped because he knew them. A light step, barely touching the ground, barely stirring the dirt, he always walked quickly, even if he didn't get anywhere fast, it was still a quick walk.

Quatre had that particular pitter-patter of soft footsteps ingrained in his mind.

"Quatre," Trowa had spoken first, he knew probably better than anyone knew, exactly what Quatre was feeling in that exact moment, and he knew that he'd never make the first move, he'd run away first.

"Yes, Trowa?" Quatre asked, hugging his arms to himself. The sun was red on the horizon, and Quatre grimaced at the light.

"You didn't have to run away," Trowa said calmly walking up behind the shorter boy, barely inches from him. His voice was open.

"Yes I did," said Quatre softly. Trowa's heart cracked at that moment, he knew that if he were able to see Quatre's face in that instant it'd be the same face he'd had to see that morning. Tears ready to leak out of his cerulean blue eyes, face held in distraught panic, that face is the one thing that has ever been able to scare Trowa as bad as it did.

"No," Trowa contradicted in response "You didn't."

"I'm sorry," Quatre said voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't want to hear the rejection come out of your mouth, the same one that I saw in your eyes."

"You don't understand what you saw then," said Trowa, circling around to face Quatre head on. However he was still unable to look Quatre in the eye as he had his head bowed in embarrassment.

"It wasn't right for me to spring that on you," Quatre said, his voice had regained its normal volume now however it had urgency to it. "I shouldn't have simply kissed you the way I did, it's my fault, I'm so sorry I made you uncomfortable!"

"Quatre," began Trowa, leaning and resting his hands on Quatre's shoulders. "Quatre, take a look in my eyes again, tell me what you see there."

"No," protested Quatre weekly.

"Quatre!" said Trowa sharply. At Trowa's tone Quatre gasped and jerked his head up, catching Trowa's eyes.

He didn't dare to hope that he recognized what he saw there.

"I like you too, Quatre," said Trowa, his voice filled with tenderness. He leaned over just slightly, moving his arms down to envelope the smaller boy in a hug, and he kissed him.

The sun set beautifully in that instant, a symbol for the bond that it had just witness form.

X-_X-_X

"See?" said Heero grinning quite smugly at the flabbergasted look on Duo's face.

"How did you know?" asked Duo. He leaned down from tree he had been hiding behind to crouch with Heero behind the near bushes where Heero had been hiding. "Trowa and Quat? I mean…come on!"

"You didn't pay attention to anyone on the first day of class did you?" questioned back Heero. He peeked slowly over the line of bushes to see if Trowa and Quatre had wandered off yet.

They hadn't, they were still kissing.

"Nope," said Duo, he was grinning though he was obviously still shocked. "I was too busy bugging Wufei."

Heero snorted and said "Naturally."

"I don't think they're gonna' be stopping and time soon," quipped Duo. He fluttered his eyelashes at Heero suggestively.

"Probably not," agreed Heero a jovially look on his face for once. "Come on we better just go back around and sneak past the trail."

"Good idea," said Duo "Plus we're missing dinner."

"You and your damn stomach are a nuisance," muttered Heero as they began to crawl away.

"That's why you love me!" chimed Duo. They had crawled far enough away and Duo stood up to shake himself off.

"Yes," Heero agreed softly, as he too began brushing himself off and Duo jogged away a bit.

"What'd ya' say?" called Duo back, his voice still low for fear off still being heard by there two friends. The ally between the botanical gardens and the administrative building had the ability to echo every now and then.

"Nothing," said Heero, catching up to Duo. "Come on."

X-_X-_X

"Aw man," Duo whined as they broke through the line of trees. "Dinner's over with by now."

"Quite complaining," said Heero somewhat darkly (Duo had been complaining the _whole_ time they had been walking) "You have a hoard of food back at the dorm."

"Oh yeah!" exclaimed Duo, grinning cheekily. He immediately began setting off in the direction of their dorms, apparently plotting a junk food consortium.

Heero snatched the back of his shirt and pulled him back a bit. "Before you can stuff your face we have to tell Wufei that Quatre's been found, he'll be pissed if we just leave him out here."

"Yeah," agreed Duo "But don't you think it'd be fun to just leave him out and see what he does?"

"No," said Heero "After all I wouldn't want you to lose your precious braid."

"Oh," Duo whimpered "Yeah."

**X-_X-_X**

**I hope this chapter was O.K. in length and I apologize for any OOCness that might have occurred.**

**I hope you read and review! The next chapter should be up soon!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Elitist Theory**

**Chapter Three**

_Enjoy_

**X-_X-_X**

Duo and Heero didn't fill in Wufei on what had transpired between their friends that night, nor did they inform him in the days that followed. They saw no need to spoil the feelings of their friends, they knew it would mean a lot to both Quatre and Trowa when they finally decided to go public, or at least share their relationship with their friends.

So Wufei remained more or less oblivious to the change in Quatre and Trowa, he did notice that there seemed to be more smiles from Quatre, and fewer outbursts from Trowa. But it was a situation that he found positive so he felt no need to investigate these simple, little, seemingly meaningless changes.

But Quatre and Trowa weren't going to hide their new relationship from their friends forever, so they did come out to their friends. It took them six days to figure out how to really say it to them. Trowa finally said they should go for the blunt approach.

"We're in a romantic relationship," Trowa said in a slightly raised voice as he and Quatre approached the large birch tree for lunch. They were holding hands. His face was nonchalant however Quatre looked comically taken aback, blushing almost to his hair roots.

This caused the three sets of eyes to widen slightly at the announcement but they all took it in good stride. Heero of course wasn't going to tell them that he had been spying on them, or had figured out the reason why Quatre had run away nearly a week ago. So he, as was somewhat predictable, didn't comment, he chose simply to remain eating his apple.

Duo however had to be…macho about the situation.

"Ha!" he exclaimed "I knew it all along!" he had stood and now had his arms crossed confidently grinning at the two persons in front of him.

"You don't know right from left, Maxwell," said Wufei dismissing Duo's comment as he rose and approached Quatre and Trowa.

"Congratulations," he said putting his hand out. Trowa shook his hand; all in good pride, but Quatre let out a low, rather unmanly, squeal and jumped on Wufei in a bear-crushing hug.

"Thanks you guys!" he said a broad smile alighting his innocent face.

"Your very welcome!" shouted back Duo, laughing slightly. "Just make sure you aren't doing naughty things during lunch. We wouldn't want to wound Wufei's virgin eyes, now would we?"

Duo laughed and Heero sighed as Wufei let out a shout and Quatre blushed. (It was a new level of blush too, reaching his hairline.)

"That is vile, Maxwell!" Wufei yelled, chasing Duo around the tree. He stopped chasing him in the next moment when Duo jerked to a stop next to Heero, pulling him in front of him as a shield. The one person Wufei was not willing to go through to get to Duo was Heero.

"Speaking of naughty things," said Duo, poking his head out around Heero's shoulder. "Your roomies kick you out to do their naughty things lately?"

He directed the question at Wufei who sighed, disgruntled and grudgingly sat back down against the tree.

"Yeah," he said rubbing his head slightly "Last night."

"You could have crashed at one of our places?" chimed in Quatre, whom Trowa had just helped up to his branch.

"Zechs and Treize only kick me out for a couple of hours so it's no big deal," said Wufei, a little nervous at the concern in Quatre's voice, he just wasn't used to such things.

"Where do you go?" asked Trowa curiously.

"Just down to the lounge," Wufei replied with a sniff, "I usually study."

"Man if I studied as much as you Wuffers," began Duo, sticking his finger out in a mock speech pose. "I would go clinically insane."

"My name is not Wuffers!"

"Duo," said Heero quietly, turning his head slightly to speak to the other boy as he watched the Chinese boy nearly explode out of the corner of his eye.

"Yeah, Heero?" said Duo, leaning in to accommodate the quiet voices they were speaking in.

"You need to stop while you're ahead," Heero said. He finished his apple and tossed he core soundlessly into a garbage can on the other side of the quad.

"Aw, come on!" said Duo; pushing off the tree "Wu-man won't hurt me!"

"You wanna' bet?" came the near deadly voice form behind him.

Duo slowly turned. It was Wufei and all the aura of doom he could manage to carry.

"I'll _destroy _you!" He shouted as loud as he dare. It was a decent distraction though; there was no need to go into the more frequent embarrassing situations that arose with his roommates.

"Nah! Come on!" Duo shouted frantically "Heero man'll protect me, won't you?"

Heero just raised an eyebrow doing nothing to stop the enraged man.

"Ah!" shouted Duo in warlike fashion as he began to run and dodge the slightly homicidal Chinese boy. He laughed the entire way though, the exercise merely his favorite bonding experience to participate in.

"You'd think they're children," called down Trowa in a light voice, smiling down at Heero. Once one of them managed to tackle the other the true show would start.

"Yeah," said Heero, showing one of his rare smiles in return. "You'd think so."

And as Quatre's bubbly laughter filled the quad Heero's eyes never left Duo and his antics.

X-_X-_X

"I just passed another group in conversation about it," said Duo. He gave a snarl of disgust before thrusting his books on the ground. "What _idiots_!"

It was a cloudy Wednesday morning and Duo, Heero, and Wufei had agreed to meet in the quad where they usually had lunch. Quatre and Trowa hadn't been informed of this impromptu meeting, and for a reason.

They were the concern of the meeting.

Duo threw his hands up in the air, muttering obscenities under his breath. The braided boy normally didn't get this agitated easily; it was easy to see what had made him so hot that day though. For once, Wufei was in agreement with the other boy.

"What can you expect?" demanded Wufei heatedly. "They don't have enough of a life that they have to pry into others for entertainment."

"But the threats?" Duo asked sliding down the tree dejectedly. "Some of the stuff they say to Quatre I wouldn't dream of saying even to an enemy."

"This school isn't diverse at all," said Heero monotonously, a dead look on his face. He too knew what they said to Quatre and Trowa and he himself had dished it back to some people in return. "It'll be their own fault in the end. This is a prestigious school full of the most elite yet not a cup full of common courtesy between all of them."

"What can we do about it?" asked Duo, looking up at the other two with half lidded eyes.

"We should take a direct and simple approach to it!" said Wufei, one fuse short of pacing. "If they think they can threaten and harass our friends then I say we do it back to them, show them that while our group may be out of all this dramatic shit we can still throw our weight around!"

"That'll solve nothing," Heero said "The only thing retaliating in a physical manner would do would get staff involved, and more heat for Quatre and Trowa."

"There has to be something we can do?" said Duo quietly. This had affected him a lot as he was one of the people that depended on Quatre's smiles to get through the day. When Quatre's smiles turned to grimaces Duo's spirit was affected.

"There's nothing!" exclaimed Wufei "We are five social outcasts, unable to use sway or power in this school of lame saints!"

"That's just it." Said Heero, leaning forward slightly "If we show them that even under pressure we outcasts can stick together than I don't think we'll have a problem. I may sound like a teacher on this one but if we can show them that we are above what they do and if we show that we can continue normally without being affected by their attitudes than I believe we can prevail over them."

"That's like the most I've ever heard you say, dude," said Duo, a grin lightening the mood "but I think you'll plan will work, if we stick to it."

"Right," said Wufei decidedly. His eyes narrowed and he readjusted the bag on his back. For once he really wanted to shuck off the need for graceful action. He wanted to defend his friends, and the adrenaline that had begun to pump heatedly through his veins was doing nothing to help.

"Good," said Heero, the voice of stoicism. "That means no come backs Duo, no threats Wufei, and I'll try not to harm anyone along the way. Quatre and Trowa will get the point of what we're trying to do, so we really have no need to pull them aside unnecessarily."

"Sounds good," said Duo, rising from his place against the birch tree and collecting his books "Though I still enjoyed Wufei's method the best."

"You would," muttered Heero somewhat fondly as they began to leave the cloudy quad, just as the bell rang.

Break was over, and now came the necessary survival, that accompanied all teenagers through high school, no matter the rank.

X-_X-_X

Quatre and Trowa broke out the door and into the cool midmorning breeze with a flourish; Quatre's cheeks were tinted red due to the situation in which they had just endured.

Trowa looked up at the blue sky, his face filling with a cool look of rejuvenation. "That was tense," he remarked offhandedly.

"I'm sorry Trowa," said Quatre as they descended the steps, turning his face so it was hidden from view.

"For what," said Trowa incredulously, stopping at the bottom of the stairs. A few students flittered across the campus, none of them too near to the pair of boys.

"For all of this," said Quatre, he stopped and turned to look at Trowa. "For all the harassment and everything they say and do to you."

Trowa looked somewhat stunned at Quatre, the saddened expression on his face mixed with the look of his hair framed by the sun made him look like an angelic martyr.

"I really don't understand what you mean," said Trowa, his voice soft and his eyes gentle. "I knew perfectly well what other students would think when they observed our relationship. I was prepared for it. I think this relationship is worth it, don't you?"

A look of relief sprang across Quatre's face; he knew what Trowa was saying by saying what he did.

"Thank you," smiled Quatre "I do as well, think that. That this is worthy that is."

"Of course you do," said the quiet boy stepping up to Quatre "We have each other, and our friends."

Quatre nearly hummed in happiness, he was very lucky to find Trowa. The quiet boy had so much caring and compassion and he had the right understanding for a kindhearted boy like Quatre, for one that took other's pain into themselves.

"Speaking of our friends where do you think they are?" asked Quatre. He desperately wanted to embrace Trowa but in the airy quad he dared not, he didn't want to bring any unnecessary heat onto them in that blissful moment. "We usually see them milling around here at some point."

"Who knows?" was Trowa's only response.

He looped his arm around Quatre, ignoring the passing students, and reveled in the twinge of pink that was lighting his loved one's face. They set of across the quad ready for some quiet time during their break before they had to return to the monotony of classes.

X-_X-_X

It began the next day.

The five rebellious boys started out that day knowing they weren't going to go about it receiving peace. Their bodies were tense and their faces dark, or rather Heero's and Wufei's were, Duo simply had a resigned intensity about him and Quatre and Trowa were still unaware of the other's resolve.

Heero was the first one started on that morning, which was assuredly stupid on his assailant's parts. Why try to take out the strongest, they had no idea what hit them. Why wasn't this boy rebutting and getting violent back? It wasn't what they expected.

It started in the locker rooms after Physical Ed. Class.

"Hey Moron!" Heero wanted to inwardly cringe when he heard this voice lash out. Six foot four and star of what seemed like all the athletic teams in the school Heero considered this person, a boy by the name of Brandon Cougar, nothing more than a greasy slime ball.

Heero didn't respond.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!" Brandon crashed himself against the lockers next to Heero, staring at him. His Jaw was set in a sneer and he was waiting to see Heero's reaction.

"So are you just as freaky as your pathetic friends?" he continued nonchalantly, he tossed a grin over his shoulder at the gaggle of friends that came to back him up. There were small snickers and guffaws' coming from behind Heero's turned back, (He was still rummaging through his locker) and Heero could tell that some of Brandon's numerous teammate friends were there as well.

"I bet you are," he sneered. He was getting right up close to Heero's face. "I bet you think they're cute don't you'? I bet you _like_ watching them? Don't you, freak?"

When Heero could feel Brandon's breath on his face he pulled his uniform shoes out of his locker and sat on the bench on the pretense of putting them on. He had an advantage and a disadvantage from that position. He was more vulnerable being lower than them (not that he already wasn't being nearly a foot shorter than they were) and therefore more able to be taken down in a fight. On the other hand he was no longer right in the line of numerous open lockers, which could cause just as much damage if he were thrown against them.

"Hey Brandon," chimed in another boy, Colin. "I bet he joins them!"

"I wouldn't doubt it," said Brandon, but he turned an eye to peer at Heero instead of looking at his friend. "I bet he plays with his transvestite looking friend, fucking faggot!"

That made Heero's blood boil; they were obviously talking about Duo. They had been talking about him like that before due to his long braid and lithe frame. He had to remind himself that this was for Quatre and Trowa; he couldn't make a mistake so early in the game.

For Quatre and Trowa.

"What are you, mute?" Brandon guffawed. "Do you need a little sense knocked into you? Because I _know_ you're not ignoring me."

"Maybe he does," growled Colin from behind. Heero braced himself.

Having finished his sloth like shoe tying he concentrated on the boy behind him rather than the one in front of him. He knew the moment he lunged.

Heero thrust sideways and slid down the primarily empty bench as Colin toppled over it and narrowly avoided a mouth full of locker.

Brandon glared angrily stepping over Colin, two more burly boys following him.

"Think your smart, faggot?" he grounded out "Do you?"

Heero remained poised at the end of the bench; if he needed to make for the exit he wasn't sure he could do it. The dunderheads in front of him blocked his path; he'd have to race around the locker room. One problem: they were many and he was one.

"_Great_!" Heero muttered under his breath. He didn't let his stoic expression drop but he didn't want to have to fight these children. No matter how many there was he could wipe the floor with them but that certainly wouldn't end up helping Quatre. It'd just infuriate the other kids and staff.

"Hey what's taking so long?" the Gym teacher butted his head in the door of the locker room "Come on! This isn't social time, fourth period hour's about to begin."

Heero silently thanked Kami; he had been slightly worried about what would happen when more kids started to trickle in.

Brandon gave him a look that clearly said 'you're lucky' before walking out of the locker room, his lackeys following.

Heero was cautious, however, on his way to class. In case they were stupid enough to risk a tardy detention just to wait him out.

But he made it to class fine.

When Duo looked at him when he entered the Chemistry lab he nodded, Duo nodded back and with relief Heero took his chair.

One more worry free hour.

X-_X-_X

Wufei didn't have quite the same luck.

He was cornered right when the bells to lunch break ended and he had been mostly unprepared for it. (Zechs and Treize had decided to harass him once more, teasing him nearly to his wits end. 'Damn perverts!' Wufei cursed in his head.)

"Hey chink!" Wufei cursed under his breath. He could really give a damn what they called him (after all he put up with Duo incessant teasing) but it just frustrated him to see the lengths they would go to when trying to unhinge him and his friends.

"I do hope you are not talking to me?" Wufei asked. He strained to maintain a bored tone as he turned. In the back of his mind he was tentatively told by some subconscious voice that this wasn't the best way to go about the situation however…Wufei was done with that voice. Justice was the most important aspect to life, it had best be appreciated.

"Well who the hell would I be talking to?" The boy spoke. Wufei didn't know the boy's name and he didn't much care to learn it. However he did get a little worried when he noticed Trowa and Quatre approaching from the corner of his eye.

"Perhaps the waste of air standing besides you?" he asked sarcastically, distractedly, and then he cursed himself. He was supposed to be ignorant of their squabbling, not retort back to them, he didn't want this to end in a fight, it wasn't the point.

The boy began to advance on him as Trowa and Quatre reached him eyeing the boy cautiously.

"I'll twist your little waste of space neck you fucking chink," the boy cursed him out. Wufei could almost feel his voice tickling his ear. He knew he would have to make a choice on how to act soon.

'Damn it!' he cussed to himself. 'This will not do anything to help them, or me!'

He cast a glance at the duo across form him, noting how Trowa's hand inched to protectively grasp Quatre's waist. At least they had half a chance if they were forced into a fight. Wufei still wished Heero were there though; he was the superior fighter in the group.

As if his prayers were answered, albeit an ironic way, a chestnut braid slapped him in the face.

"Hey, Eric man!" Duo exclaimed. (Wufei reflected that that must be the boy's name) Duo effectively slid himself in between Wufei and Eric gently pushing Wufei backwards a bit as he did.

Wufei looked around and noticed Heero on the edge of the small group of students that formed a semi-circle around the group. The cloudy day only enhanced the tensed stature of the hellish eyed boy.

"So," Duo continued, drawing out the word, ever acting the aloof jackass. "I hear the diving team won out against the Wyvern's? I heard it was one of the most successful meets of the season, congrats!"

This did help in a way; Eric's attention diverted from the other three, so much so that they were able to retreat almost to the edge of the ring around them. However, now Eric's sole attention was centered on Duo and his ever sarcastic attitude.

"Shut it you transvestite pauper!" he snarled at him, Eric was incensed in his . Duo didn't even bat an eyelash to the insults on his braid and financial situation. He did however glance at the three boys who edged towards the center of the now increasingly large ring.

Heero lost it.

"I do believe I misheard you," Heero said stepping forward, his voice was deadly quiet and the aura he gave off was incensed with utter hatred. He had a hand clenched at his side.

Trowa and Quatre exchanged worried looks; neither of them had ever seen Heero this angry. Or rather they had never seen him this instantaneously bothered, he never reacted with emotion this quickly.

Duo glanced up at Eric and then over to Heero before making a very wise decision. He moved over near Wufei, and nearly no one took notice of him. Everyone was staring wide eyed at Heero and Eric, who had now devoted his full attention to the Japanese boy.

No one had ever seen the emotionless boy display this much anger before and no one had ever seen anyone ever approach Eric, the star of the wrestling team, with anger.

"You dimwitted ass," snarled Heero "_You_? Who can't even throw a ball straight or go one week without being intoxicated? You want to antagonize _my_ friends?"

"Me!" shot back the boy "And what do you think you're going to do about _me_?"

"Oh, I dream of the things I could do to you," said Heero he was standing in front of Eric now and speaking so basically only they could hear. "Have you ever seen what three pints of blood and a battered skull look like on pavement? Or what a tied up _puissant_ of a man will beg for?"

"You think you could do that shit to me?" He growled at Heero. They had their faces inches apart, pure male testosterone permeating the circle. Everyone was tense

"You think I can't?" shot back Heero, definitely self assured.

"Yeah right, ass fucker!" Eric yelled at Heero, but there was a visible quiver in his voice. No one new what to expect from Heero Yuy, he had only been at the school a month but still there was little doubt that most people considered him a step away from the rest of them.

"What is going on here?" bellowed a suddenly stern voice from outside the circle of spectators. It was Mrs. Morosely and she split the circle without lifting a finger as she came towards them. "Mr. Yuy! Mr. Rutgers! What do you boys think you are doing brawling in the hallways like this?"

Eric grunted and Heero merely stared at her making her pause for a moment. "This will mean detention, for the both of you! I want you to report to my office after classes tomorrow. There is no fighting on school grounds!"

The crowd dispersed rather quickly after that, many people already gabbing about their ideas on what just happened. Mrs. Morosely left as the crowd did, she was still obviously angry and kept casting backward glances at the boys.

"Heero-man!" said Duo in a somewhat amazed voice "You are one deadly son of a bitch on the inside aren't you? Secret boxing habit we don't know about? Little part time mercenary job?"

"I didn't believe you were one for losing your temper, Yuy," added in Wufei. He, however, looked smug, he was obviously glad that the fight hadn't escalated and that Heero had shown the crowd something of what an outcast could do.

"More importantly!" said Quatre looking astounded at the others "What were you thinking? Imagine if Mrs. Morosely hadn't shown up, there were more of them in that crowd than there were of us."

"Relax, Quat," said Duo waving an arm, "Not that it would have mattered but I'm pretty sure Heero here could have taken them all."

Heero shrugged, the red anger leaving his face "It was a loss of control. Unacceptable."

Trowa wrapped his arm around Quatre's shoulder, everyone ignoring Heero's comment, not knowing what quite to make of it. "What were you guys doing anyway; you should have just ignored the imbecile."

"Please!" snorted Duo.

"As if," said Wufei at the same time. "How honorable would we have been then?"

"Honorable?" asked Trowa, raising an eyebrow.

Duo grinned. "We were trying to help you guys out but…ah."

"It backfired," Heero finished simply; he ran a hand across his brow, wiping a couple droplets off.

"Thank you," murmured Quatre. Trowa tightened his arm.

The area was near empty now, however they could all see Mrs. Morosely waiting at the end of the hall. She was tapping her foot impatiently, obviously waiting for them to clear out as well. It was a wonder that the headmaster wasn't out there as well. Though they weren't going to wait for him to come to Morosely and see what happened.

**X-_X-_X**

**Please review and let me know what you think.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Elitist Theory **

**Chapter Four**

_Enjoy_

**X-_X-_X**

The lounge in Quatre's particular dorm hall was a very convenient one. It was located just inside the entrance, it had large puffy poufs and settees, and it also had a dorm hall administrator who didn't really care to edict the student's movements within. When not full with meandering students it was an ideal atmosphere for friends to enjoy a quiet morning break talking amongst them selves.

"So, 'Ro," said Duo. "What're you gonna' do when you get to Morosely's tonight?"

"Do?" asked Heero, raising a brow. He lazily watched Duo's hand bounce up and down on the owner's comfy chair. A particularly large, gothic looking ring caught the early morning light and sent little rainbows up and onto the ceiling.

"Yeah," responded Duo. "I bet you have some crafty über cool excuse to get you out of trouble? Hm?"

Wufei snorted from Duo's other side.

Quatre laughed. "You must admit, Heero, you are good at those types of things."

"I willingly threatened another student," Heero said. "I'll take what I've earned."

"Pft," grunted Duo. "Is that your Japanese honor code talking or something? Come on, get out of it and we'll through a party in Wufei's room!"

"As if Maxwell!" Wufei put down the book that he had on his lap only for show. He took off the reading glasses he only wore half the time and brandished them threateningly at Duo.

"Ah come on, Wuffers," Duo raised the hand that Heero had been studying to avoid the swat that Wufei batted at him. "It'll keep those pesky room mates to themselves."

"Bah," Wufei said "They've been interestingly quiet lately."

"Hmm," mused Quatre. "That's rather unusual."

"Zechs has been in the art studio rather late the last few nights I've been to pick up my supplies," supplied Trowa, he was cradling a cardboard cup of hot, steaming tea.

"There's a surprising amount of drama with you guys for living in a suite, Wu," said Duo. He grinned over at Heero as if it were a secret of theirs.

"You are surprisingly fond of speaking about drama," said Heero in return before Wufei could say anything. He pulled a couple short times on Duo's braid which was hanging relatively close at hand.

Duo stuck his tongue out in retaliation. "It's probably just trouble in paradise, Wu."

Before Wufei could necessarily respond a low bell sounded from somewhere outside.

"Damn," muttered Duo. "Break's over."

The teens rose to their feet and gathered up all their school day supplies. Sounds of students exiting the dormitory hall echoed into the lounge and Duo looked regretfully down at the comfy pouf that he was being forced to vacate. He pushed a sleeve up and looked at his friends.

"The end!" he said. "This is goodbye! Forever!"

Wufei commented derisively on Duo's proclamation and made his way out of the room throwing a hand over his head in farewell.

Quatre laughed. "No need for the dramatics, Duo. We'll see you guys at lunch, okay?"

"You bet, buddy boy!" returned Duo, laughing in turn.

Quatre and Trowa left the lounge, a comfortable arm slung around each other. Quatre's all too innocent face was turned up to Trowa's in what appeared to be pure bliss; a surprising factor was that Trowa's normally blank visage returned the same. Duo sighed at their contentment just before the door managed to close the scene away.

Their morning core classes had hardly shared a mention of the previous day's activities. The students were focusing on their studies, as is to be expected of elitist scholars, and the gossips seemed to remain for outside the class room. The group of friends had received many covert glances but no one had really said anything more to the group. Heero's somewhat impressive display of wrath seemed to quell most comments.

Duo looked up at Heero, who was finishing adjusting a book into his bag. "Ever think about being happy like that, 'Ro?"

"Like what?" asked Heero in return. He knew, however, what it was that Duo referred to. He shared the knot of jealousy that erupted in his stomach when he watched his two attached friends leave the room.

"Like what Quat, and Tro' have?" Duo asked. He paused and then wiggled his eye brows. "Want someone to be all happy with?"

Heero coughed, he wanted something like what his friends shared for certain, and he knew who he wanted it to be with. He took in Duo's grinning face, while the boy seemed comfortable breaching personal topic like these, Heero was not.

"Come on, baka," he said. He pushed Duo forward by the scruff of his neck. "I've got astrophysics and you've literature anthropology."

"Well fine, spoil sport," mock sighed Duo in dramatic fashion. "If you don't want to share the details of your non-existent romantic endeavors with little ol' me than we don't have to discuss 'em…yet, and you can stall all silent and brooding like you enjoy."

Heero glared at him.

Duo grinned back and held the lounge's door open. He waited until Heero had passed through to drop his fooling grin. He wanted into the personal life of Heero Yuy more than anyone could imagine. He wanted into it to let it swallow him whole and drown him in what _is_ Heero Yuy.

X-_X-_X

Like Heero had told his friends he was going to, he accepted the detention that his teacher dealt him with no protest. He did modify the form that she had him sign documenting what he did. He cited that he had participated in a verbal argument, not a physical one. Heero had little doubt in his mind that Rutgers would've had no problem turning the fight into a physical one if he had had the chance

Rutgers seemed content to skip the detention, he wasn't there when Heero arrived, nor did he arrive throughout the duration of Heero's time in her office.

"Thank you," said Mrs. Morosely curtly. She picked up the paper Heero had just signed and stowed it in a folder on her desk. The woman's dark hair tumbled over her shoulder as she did so, doing nothing more than to highlight the exhausted face of the teacher.

"Relena should be here soon," Mrs. Morosely said. "She'll be over seeing your detention as prefect this evening. I have a departmental meeting."

Heero went stock still. Relena Peacecraft was the only female prefect in the grade, she was always in the top percentile of students, and she happened to be rather fond of Heero. Even though the school had only been in session for just over a month she had singled out Heero on several occasions. She had singled him out on several, embarrassing occasions.

One occasion that Duo was fond of bringing up at the most inopportune times was the occasion in which she had invited him to her savvy social birthday party. He and Duo had been alone leaving their lunch courtyard when Relena had approached Heero, many of her friends remaining by the doors.

When he declined her affections, she had turned somewhat volatile, in her own demure way. Duo had laughed all the way to the first of their afternoon classes that day, and five minutes into it as well, until the teacher yelled at him to quit it.

"Relena, ma'am?" asked Heero. He wasn't really requesting confirmation but he was doing some quick calculation in his head for an excuse to get out of that particular aspect of the detention.

"Yes," she looked at the clock across the room and frowned. "She's actually running a bit behind."

However like magic just after the words had left the teachers mouth the door creaked open somewhat tentatively and a honey blond popped her head in. Heero wanted to groan.

It wasn't that he was necessarily annoyed by the girl. She was very kind, had a steady head, and was someone that one could hold conversation with. What he couldn't deal with though were the romantic advancements. The only way to put her off was to avoid her at all costs.

Tonight was going to ruin that particular strategy.

He turned back to Mrs. Morosely. "What time is the detention over with, ma'am?"

"At eight thirty," she replied with a sniff. Heero frowned a little. That was just about two hours of him alone with the girl.

"Sorry I'm late, ma'am," said Relena, fully coming into the room. She was dressed dashingly in a two-piece sweat collaboration, no doubt very comfortable and very expensive. "I was helping some peers with course work."

"It's no problem, Relena," the older woman replied. She smiled serenely at the girl, a surprising sight. It seemed Mrs. Morosely had a favorite student, which wasn't shocking really, Relena Peacecraft was the favorite student of almost every instructor that she'd ever had in the building.

Relena smiled back and clasped her hands together in front of her. She looked from the instructor to Heero in quiet subservience, obviously waiting for direction.

"Well," Morosely glanced back up at the clock and then picked up her briefcase. "I'm off to my meeting and you two will be heading to the kitchens, Heero you'll be cleaning the left over dishes from this evenings meal."

Heero nodded. It wasn't an unfair punishment, generally kitchen duty was said to be fairly light work, and the meal was slow that evening so he assumed the kitchen staff would have most everything cleaned already. He stood and waited for Relena to make towards the door first. She did.

X-_X-_X

Wufei reclined back into the couch that the suite like dorm he was in offered. There were two main rooms in the suite. One room held beds for the three roommates and the other was a lounge like area that offered hookups for different research and homework use equipment, and a small kitchenette.

Both his roommates were unusually absent that evening and he took advantage of that circumstance and stretched out with a best selling novel. It was reviewed to be an excellent philosophy novel. It used enigmatic characters to explore philosophical ideas. The type of book Wufei liked to enjoy.

He was just turning the title page for the second chapter when the door to the suite opened forcefully and bounced off the adjacent wall. Wufei was much too collected of a person to be startled by such an act; however his eyes flew immediately to the two men storming into the room.

"I really don't think there is such need for theatrics, Zechs," said the tall, aristocratic man following the aforementioned Zechs into the room.

"I don't really care what _you_ think at the moment, Treize," Zechs replied, his silver hair shadowing his face.

Both men were intimidating sights. They were well toned from participation in many different sports, well versed from their extensive academic records, (they were both more senior students, not freshmen like Wufei himself was) and they had impervious personas that commanded attention and respect.

"Oh don't act this way, Milliardo," Treize said back. He definitely seemed the less emotional of the two at the moment. He was calm and almost smug at the exchange. He raised a hand to brush some of his deep honey colored hair out of his face.

Zechs whirled around, rage becoming apparent on his face. "Do not call me that!" He half shouted at the other man. His hands were balled into fists at his side.

Treize said nothing; just half bowed his head and then moved around and passed Zechs towards the entrance to the bedrooms. Zechs stared after him with an incredulous look on his face.

"I am not your puppet!" he said to the man's back. "I am an equal, not someone to be treaded on."

Treize turned with an insincere look of surprised offense on his face. "Zechs, I never treat you as such."

Zechs snorted, his high cheekbones twisting with the mocking grin on his face. "Maybe not with your direct actions but you know how certain consequences reflect upon me."

Treize carefully studied Zechs, his face changed to a more measured look of observance. "We'll speak more of this tomorrow, Zechs."

Zechs face twisted darker with the easy dismissal however at Treize's elegant nod in Wufei's direction his face cleared and he turned to stare across the room. He obviously had not realized that Wufei was in the suite.

Wufei was not a naïve young man. He understood the type of relationship the older men shared; he had spoken about it with his friends even, and was not unaware of what appeared to be their recent problems. When he had been roomed with the older students he had been intimidated with the arrangements at first. He was one of the only non-seniors put into that type of living situation.

When he first learned of the two gentlemen's relationship he had not raised qualms due to the nature of his living arrangement, now however he more than accepted their relationship. With Quatre and Trowa opening up to their friends Wufei's mind had opened a little wider as well.

Zechs glanced back over to the other side of the room as Treize closed the bedroom door, and then back to Wufei. He spoke with a bit of breathless abandon and exhaustion in his voice. "I apologize, Wufei."

Wufei nodded and brought his book back up to his face. "It is…not a problem, Zechs."

Zechs smiled softly in the Chinese man's direction and sat across from him in a chair, bringing a few textbooks onto the table there. The Chinese man was complicated on many levels however Zechs understood the acquiescence of Wufei in his small statements.

They both alternately read and studied on into the night. Eventually Zechs felt it late enough to retire without getting into a verbal row with their roommate again, and Wufei soon followed. They bid each other a quiet good night and that was that, they both fell asleep soon after.

Treize Kushrenada had his eyes open in his bed however; he looked at the two of them with an unfathomable expression before finally closing his eyes as well.

X-_X-_X

Heero had removed his outer blazer and rolled up his shirt sleeves but still some of the muck and grime was making its way onto his clothing. There really hadn't been that much to do that night, Heero had finished the cooking ware, and wiped the counters, (helped by Relena) and was now just wiping down all the equipment.

At first Relena had stood awkwardly in the corner of the room watching Heero work. She had moved to working on homework but as there was no place for her to sit it became much more of a hassle. After attempting to help Heero with a few things he had reminded her that this was his detention and she had settled for sitting on one of the counter tops.

"You know," began Relena, this would be the first time they had spoken in almost half an hour. "Many of the students have certain…omnipotent fears of you now."

Heero knit his brows together in confusion. He had meant to be intimidating to Rutgers but had other students had honestly been intimidated? Rutgers really hadn't shown all that much fear, he doubted other students had.

When Heero didn't reply to her Relena continued. "They fear your passion."

Heero actually stopped what he was doing and turned to stare at the girl. He had serious doubts about the student body fearing 'his passion.'

Relena swung her legs a couple time, emulating a younger version of her, and then looked back up at Heero with an award winning smile. She definitely affirmed that she came from a political family.

He went back to his cleaning. "You, seem to share no fear of me."

Relena laughed delicately and Heero moved to another spot of the kitchen. "Oh no, it's quite the opposite actually, Heero."

Heero nodded. That sort of statement was actually quite common from Relena Peacecraft. It was bold and it had a certain amount of subtlety to it. He refused to respond to it though.

Relena watched him with the eyes of a hawk. The girl really was not all that annoying; however her persistence of him was something that was not desired. He steadfastly refused to look at her.

"Heero," she said. It was quiet but it was also a somewhat hoarser, more seductive tone.

Heero stood strait in panic. Relena had hopped off the counter.

"I don't know if you realize," she said, drawing a little nearer to him. "But I've had certain feelings of adoration towards you for some time now."

Heero backed up a step for every step she took. "Relena this is probably not the best time to do this."

She remained heedless.

"Heero," she said, taking two steps. "We get along nicely, and we are quite capable within our own lives. We are quite perfect for each other in all actuality."

"Relena-," tried Heero. He was not comfortable at all. He raised his hands into the air, and attempted to convey his emotions via his face, something he wasn't all together well practiced at.

"Heero," she said, finally stopping. "Do you share feelings for me?"

Heero sighed. "Relena," he began and then stopped.

He tried to start again, and managed to open and close his mouth a few times. "Look…"

"Yes, Heero?" she moved right into his personal space. She obviously thought his response to her was going to differ.

"You're not my type," the words tumbled from Heero's mouth before he had a chance to fully grasp them.

Relena pulled away sharply. She looked at Heero for a moment before drawing a hand to her face and covering the side of it and turning away from Heero.

"I see," she said. "I am so sorry, Heero. I wished I hadn't made a fool out of myself."

Heero half growled to himself.

"Look," he said. "We're pretty much done with this. Let's just leave and we'll just pretend like this never happened."

Relena was still for a surprisingly long time. She looked at Heero and then smiled her politically award winning smile once more. "I'll see you tomorrow in history of debate, Heero."

She turned on a heel and was out the door before Heero could even bid her good night.

"Hn," he sighed to himself. He gathered his blazer and deposited his rags. He looked around the room once and ordered some objects before turning down the lights and exiting the door Relena had just moments before.

"Politicians," he muttered.

**X-_X-_X**

**I hope you enjoyed! Please review.  
**

**This story is not going to be a monumental story of some great torrent of plot. It is however going to be a story that looks at common drama and how our favorite hero's could react in those situations. It might also be a nice exploration of finding stability.**

**Thanks for reading this far!  
**

**-AnimeSiren**


	5. Chapter 5

**Elitist Theory**

**Chapter Five**

**Enjoy**

**X-_X-_X**

The next day, Saturday by chance, found Heero and the other boys lounging in Quatre's floor lounge once more. The building was quieter that day than the previous one; more students had left and gone home for the weekend, or to visit friends. They were able to sit with each other in complete, lazy autonomy. It was a weekend ritual.

"How'd detention go, Heero?" asked Quatre. His quiet voice went weaving into the silence without breaking the steady ambiance of it. Heero could see why Quatre was head of the Liberal Student Government Organization; he had the _perfect_ voice for it.

Duo laughed out loud at his question, slapping Heero on the leg from his position across from him "Oh, Quatre. It went great; tell him 'Ro!"

Heero swatted his hand away and sent him a small, chilling glare. Duo smiled in response, his eyes twinkling. "It was perfectly fine, Quatre."

"Now, now," Duo said sing-song like, his braid mimicking his head's swishing movements. "Don't go hiding all the juicy details."

Trowa looked at Heero amusedly, his one visible eye crinkled up in a half crescent. "You really did wrong by telling Duo already Heero, if you had wanted to keep it to yourself."

Wufei let out a chuckle at that, and Duo pouted. "Just tell them," he grouched.

Heero sighed. It had been nice sleeping in that morning, in his bed across from Duo (by chance they had gotten to room with one another when a roommate of Duo's left the school) and the peace had relaxed him enough to tell the boy the tale. Now he was never going to live down the ridicule.

"I had to clean the kitchens and the equipment," said Heero. He closed his eyes lightly, maybe when he reopened them his friends would believe that's all that it was and Duo would keep his mouth shut. He reopened them.

No such luck.

"Is that really all, Heero?" asked Quatre jerkily. He was stifling a chuckle, Duo was making large eyes and hand signs to the other guys. His gestures grossly exaggerated.

"Nope!" said Duo, bursting into a fit of chuckling words "Relena was in charge of watching him!"

"Peacecraft?" asked Quatre, his eyes stunned and wide. He let out a shocked laugh. "_Relena Peacecraft_ was the person you were unlucky enough to get?"

Trowa joined in the laughter; he had been unlucky enough to witness some of the Peacecraft girl's advancements before.

"What did the girl _do_?" asked Wufei incredulously. He took his reading glass off and peered at Heero, apparently he'd not heard the tales from the other members of the group, more specifically the _one_ loudmouthed member of the group.

Heero sighed "Why thanks so much, Duo. You've been a real help."

"I do what I can," the man replied, he swatted Heero's shoulder and let out another bark of laughter. "Why don't you go ahead and tell about lover girl already?"

"Fine," groused Heero "Relena decided it was the perfect time to drop her unsubtle façade and make her affections known in a true blundering fashion."

Quatre actually had the heart to try to stifle his jovial laughter. "Sweet Allah, Heero," he said, his cerulean eyes twinkling. "Did she kiss you?"

"No," Heero replied. "Thank God. I stopped her before that occurred."

"How'd she react?" asked Wufei. He reddened slightly when Heero raised a brow in response. Since when did the Chinese man decide he liked to gossip?

"I told her we would pretend like it never happened," answered Heero honestly. He closed and opened his hands.

"Made my morning, that story did," said Duo, he closed his eyes and put a hand over his chest in mock respect "Truly, 'twas amazing."

Heero growled and playfully shoved the boy's shoulder in response, and received a shove in return. Trowa and Quatre exchanged a look; the sunlight matching Quatre's blown up smile.

"So," said Duo to the room "What's on the agenda today boys?"

"No idea."

X-_X-_X

Wufei sighed to himself as he heard Zechs sigh for the fourth time that hour. It was obvious that something was bothering the man, and Wufei suspected it was much the same 'something' that he had witnessed the previous night. He had kept shooting surreptitious glances towards the white-blonde man on the comfy couch across from him; however Zechs didn't return the looks or mention what was wrong with him.

Wufei calmly closed his book and set it into his lap softly. While he doubted that even if he hurled it against the adjacent wall Zechs would still not break out of his daze it was more a subtle habit of his than anything else. He looked quite openly towards Zechs (whom should at least be able to tell the movements of the Chinese boy from his peripheral view) and still received no response.

Wufei furrowed his brows. These actions of Zechs were simply unacceptable. If something was bothering the man than why had he not attempted to rectify his misery? Wufei rubbed his chin, irritated. It wasn't that he was angry that Zechs was acting this way; it was simply that he was angry that something was apparently forcing Zechs to act this way.

Zechs was staring somewhat off into space. His eyes were downcast towards the text held lackadaisically in his lap; however his pupils were very steadily focused on the opposite wall. Wufei cast a glance at the wall as well, other than the steady sheen of the fading paint he discerned nothing special about it. An act that caused Zechs' air to be even more evidently spacey was the pen he was holding above his notebook.

He was holding it in mid air, as if he were deterred from a final stroke. Wufei rubbed his chin again and sat back into his chair, careful not to slouch.

"Zechs," he said, at a normal speaking level. He received no response. "_Zechs_," he reiterated, louder this time: still no response. Wufei swallowed and transferred his book onto the floor. He moved and sat down on the couch, directly beside the frozen form of his roommate, though not too close to be uncomfortable.

"Zechs," he said, this time shaking the man's shoulder. Zechs reacted this time, rather instantaneously. He gave a startled grunt and half jerked as if he were making to stand, dropping his pen and flopping his text book from his lap.

"Wufei!" he said, his voice far more normal, he coughed. "I'm sorry I seemed to have dazed off for a moment."

"It's not a problem, of course," said Wufei. He was perhaps lacking the usual polite indifference he treated his room mates with however he didn't enjoy witnessing the man's obvious depression. Zechs gave an unusually nervous laugh and said nothing.

Wufei waited until Zechs had retrieved his text book and pen, setting them atop his notebook, before speaking again. "What's troubling you?"

Zechs looked up into Wufei's pinning stare and laughed again, this time it sounded exhausted however. "Normally I like to pride myself on my ability to hide things, Wufei. I must be rusting if the small problems of my life are showing on such a fine day."

Wufei steadfastly ignored the man's attempt at a brush off. "Zechs," he said, slowly "Don't be ridiculous, if something is bothering you then you should obviously speak about it with a friend, or comrade of sorts."

Zechs studied him. He sighed again (Wufei gritted his teeth) and slipped off his reading glasses and set them on the table in front of them. "Do you consider us friends, Wufei?"

"At least 'comrades of sorts,'" replied Wufei, gesturing vaguely with a hand. Zechs didn't look offended however; it was like the Chinese man to make a distant comment like that. "I am willing to listen if you want to speak about something, maybe offer advice if it is something I can help you with?"

Zechs gave anther short chuckle, this time it sounded sardonic. "Can you give me advice on how to get my heart back from a selfish, ill natured fool?"

Wufei wasn't taken aback at the choice of topic. He figured that it had something to do with the borderline violent display the previous night. "I'm afraid I don't know much about 'affairs of the heart' if you will; perhaps, then, I will listen and save the advice for another time."

Zechs nodded, Wufei's words were decisive. Zechs would have to speak about what was concerning him. It was surprising; Zechs would have never bet Wufei for the outwardly caring, or for the pushy type, man that he was currently exhibiting. "I'm sure that you've noticed that Treize and I are not exactly getting along at the moment."

Wufei nodded. "I certainly can't say it wasn't apparent."

Zechs let out a breath and slouched into the couch, putting a hand on his forehead. "I should have seen this coming, and it shouldn't have been allowed. _I_ am a person who does not get pushed around!"

Wufei was somewhat surprised at the ferociousness of the ending conviction. Zechs obviously had pent up certain emotions and words for some time. Wufei waited for Zechs to continue.

"Wufei," he said "For the sake of my sanity I must at least express to you how weak I have felt lately, and how utterly defenseless. It isn't something I'm accustomed to. I was raised quite differently."

"Of course," Wufei said agreeing. He had always assumed that Zechs had come from some sort of upper class family; probably a diplomat or corporate tycoon headed his family.

Zechs leaned forward. "Treize Kushrenada had been pushing me to a brink that I didn't even realize I had, and I have been allowing him."

"Why would you allow yourself to be pushed around?" asked Wufei bluntly before he could stop himself.

Zechs smiled wryly. "I have been asking myself that same question."

Wufei stilled his lips, he had natural reactions to some things and he didn't want to offend Zechs or make him feel badly. Zechs continued "Treize and I have known each other since we were children, and he was my first lover."

Wufei's eyes widened some, and Zechs smirked at him. "That was before we entered a relationship, he is a very persuasive man."

"I've noticed," said Wufei.

"Lately, however," Zechs frowned and leaned his arms forward onto his knees "Treize has been doing things that have been absolutely intolerable."

Wufei didn't say anything; it really didn't seem that any prompting from him was necessary anymore. He was pleased, however, with the fact that Zechs's voice level had evened out and most of the morose attitude had faded from his face. He did, however, continue to now look angry and drained.

"When we are out amongst people Treize flirts constantly," Zechs said. Wufei felt startled at that, he had never had pegged Treize Kushrenada as being a man capable of dishonest behavior. Zechs seemed to have noticed his surprise and he gave another wry smile. "Treize is quite different than the façade he puts on in public. He is quite capable of subterfuge."

"I wouldn't have guessed," admitted Wufei.

"Now you can guess why it is especially frustrating," Zechs replied. "He does it to anger me, I know he does. I just can't understand what sort of rise he is trying to get out of me."

Wufei couldn't guess either.

"He flirts with females and males, especially the ones that don't know that we're together," Zechs continued "And he makes sure to do it right in front of me. He laughs with them and makes all sorts of innuendos."

Zechs gave a frustrated grunt.

"Is he upset over something?" asked Wufei "Is he just acting up?"

"No," said Zechs, very decidedly. "I know exactly how Treize Kushrenada acts when something is bothering him. The only thing I can possibly think of is that he is doing this for sport."

"Sport?" asked Wufei "How cruel."

"Yes," agreed Zechs. "I am not weak yet his blatant disregard for how I feel and his, what I now recognize it as, subtle manipulations over the years have become tiring."

"What are you going to do?" asked Wufei. He was surprised to notice that his sincerity over Zechs's feelings felt wholly real.

"I don't know," answered Zechs honestly. "It seems ridiculous to end the relationship after spending all this time on it."

"But if you're not happy…" started Wufei awkwardly, he waved a hand through the air as if that finished his sentence.

"Thank you," said Zechs, he turned towards Wufei and put a hand on the other boys shoulder. "It has actually helped, speaking with you that is."

Wufei thought that Zechs's smile was genuine so he returned a relieved smile of his own. When the silence had stretched just enough that awkwardness was beginning to leak in Zechs spoke "So what are you up to today, Wufei?"

The small talk topic change almost threw Wufei off, but he replied in accordance. "My friends and I are probably going to lounge around and do homework today."

"That sounds nice," said Zechs, he glanced at his books and then rose. "Would you like a cup of tea?"

"Yes," said Wufei blinking. "That would be lovely."

He studied Zechs. He truly did look as if he felt better but there was still a subdued quality radiating from him. Wufei spoke again before he fully realized what words were spewing from his mouth.

"Zechs," he asked "Would you like to hang with my friends and I today?"

Wufei immediately felt his cheeks redden and Zechs looked up from the tea pot with an unreadable expression. "That is if you don't mind hanging out with a bunch of underclassmen," amended Wufei.

Zechs's face broke out into a wide grin. "That would be lovely, Wufei."

X-_X-_X

Heero's eyes kept wandering over to Duo's form. The long haired boy was shoving through a bin of random items, unleashing its full contents all over his bed. Heero couldn't help but stare at him, and he had to convince himself that it wasn't because Duo was mid clothing change and was clad in only boxers and a t-shirt. Duo's hair was loose and tumbled down his back.

"I can't find it!" shouted Duo in frustration. He ran his hands through his hair. "Damn it!"

"What are you looking for?" asked Heero, tearing his eyes from Duo's form.

"My astronomy textbook," muttered Duo. "I need it for the homework."

"And it's in there?" asked Heero incredulously eyeing the bin. He stood up from his bed and stared in at the bins remains.

"I don't know," said Duo shrugging. He gave a short laugh. "Guess I should probably get dressed to meet the guys huh?"

Heero nodded, he didn't trust himself with words.

"You know, 'Ro," said Duo, pulling on a pair of jeans. "I reckon we should all do something in town at some point."

"How do you propose we get there?" Heero asked. The nearest town was about four miles down a rather long hilled area from the school. They'd need to drive.

"Haven't gotten that far yet," admitted Duo.

Heero smiled and shook his head. He had to love the scatter brained attitude of Duo's sometimes.

Their room was a conundrum of clashing ideologies. Duo's side had wide posters and random newspaper clippings hanging from every part of free wall space on his side of the room, (on a bit of Heero's too, actually) and had every color imaginable splashed on every item on his side of the room.

Heero's side was exactly the opposite. The majority of his wall was clear, any decorations were in neutral tones, and everything was organized expertly. He loved the room though; he loved looking at Duo's side of the room and seeing Duo's personality in every object.

"Braid my hair?" asked Duo with a puppy dog look.

Heero glared are Duo, faking it though. Of course he would give in and braid the boy's chestnut tresses. It occurred every weekend. Duo would decide he were sick of the task and bequeath it to Heero. However he refuted any suggestion to cut his hair. It was Duo's prerogative.

"I guess," replied Heero. He sounded much less enthused than he actually was inside. He loved running his hands through the boy's hair. Duo flopped himself down onto Heero's bed and looked at Heero expectantly.

Heero saved his grin until Duo's back was safely turned towards him.

"_So_," Duo said, stretching the word. "How's the personal life going, Heero?"

"Excuse me?" Heero responded, his hands pausing in their movement, he was genuinely thrown off.

"Just wondering if you found any chickies that caught your eye," said Duo, his tone all too nonchalant. "You don't talk about romance much."

"There's not much romance to discuss," muttered Heero back. He shifted uncomfortably, there was a reason he had no romantic life. The reason was sitting right in front of him.

"You know," said Duo, his tone taking a boasting and joking air. "I'm pretty smooth, I could hook you up."

"Duo," said Heero, his voice wavering. He thought it was time that made a bit of a statement to the other boy. "My interests really aren't really something you could help with."

Duo shrugged at Heero's slow spoken statement. "What do you mean?"

Heero struggled with what he wanted to say. He really shouldn't have been as nervous as he was; Duo was a very open person. Heero doubted that much of anything he could say would startle the boy. He decidedly plowed ahead.

"Well," Heero said. He didn't often speak and putting a few words into sentences to speak to Duo was usually easy, not hard like it was becoming. "My interests lay in _men_ not women."

Heero felt Duo's body still underneath his hands. Heero winced. He had too much faith in Duo's reaction, he now realized his mistake. He just hoped he didn't lose his best friend.

"No shit, 'Ro?" Duo asked softly.

"I'm telling the truth Duo," Heero said, he dropped his hands from Duo's half put together braid.

"Hey!" half shouted Duo "Don't stop, we're going to be late."

"What?" asked Heero stupidly. He furrowed his brow, and then realized what Duo was referring to. He hesitantly put his hands back to Duo's braid, working much slower. He tried to eye Duo's facial expression but just couldn't make out enough of it from his position.

"That's cool 'Ro," said Duo. "I'm bisexual."

"Really?" asked Heero before he could stop himself. If Duo was telling the truth that Heero was very thankful to whichever God was responsible for life.

Duo laughed "Yeah."

"That's," Heero struggled for words. His mouth was split open in a ridiculously wide grin. He tied off Duo's braid. "Cool."

Duo just laughed. He hopped off the bed and tossed his hair around a bit. Duo looked up at Heero who had just stood. His eyes were a shadowy violet in the light of the dorm.

"Yeah," said Duo, taking a step towards Heero.

Heero couldn't help but stare at the other boy, the ridiculous grin still spread wide over his face. He couldn't believe the turn of events, he might actually have a chance at winning Duo's heart now. He tried to shake himself out of his thoughts but got a bit stuck looking into Duo's eyes as he took another step forward.

Duo was trying to prep himself inside. He couldn't believe what Heero had just told him, and he couldn't believe what he had the urge to do. As he took another step forward a thought tickled the back of his mind. A thought that made him stop his advancement.

Heero was his best friend.

He nervously smiled up into Heero's face, their proximity close, and then said "Guess we better meet the guys before we're late."

Heero smile tumbled off his face. He had felt something, and he had thought that Duo had felt the same thing. He had thought that they were about to…

His eyes followed Duo's form from the door. The boy had rushed out without his bag; it was still sitting on his bed awaiting the addition of the still lost Astronomy text. Heero picked up both their bags and hurried out into the hall, grabbing his keys and shutting the heavy door behind him.

He caught up with Duo down the hall. His stomach was sunk to his shoes.

"You forgot your bag, Duo," Heero said, looking uncertainly and handing the bag to Duo.

Duo responded with a large and wholly fake smile. "Thanks 'Ro."

Then, before Heero could say anything else, Duo was off on a tangent of random rambles. The spontaneous small talk that Heero knew Duo meant to keep up the whole trek to their lunch time hangout.

**X-_X-_X**

**Sorry, I know I promised the beginning of October. I'm going to go ahead and say that every story will be updated once to twice a month, but definitely at least once, I'm not going to spin into the every eight months cycle again.**

**The next chapter is going to be a bit more action filled. More Heero and Duo will be prepped in.**

**Hope you enjoyed.**

**-AnimeSiren**


	6. Chapter 6

**Elitist Theory**

**Chapter Six**

_Enjoy._

**X-_X-_X**

"Thank you for allowing me to join you and your friends, Wufei," said Zechs, his voice low and husky as they walked brusquely across campus. The air was beginning to have a wintry chill to it, a definite sign of the months to come.

Wufei felt his cheeks redden, it must be the tenth time the man had said the very same thing, and Wufei didn't think that an afternoon spent amongst fellow students was anything too significant. Maybe Treize really had been controlling Zechs' life for far too long. "It's not a problem, Zechs," said Wufei "As I said before."

Zechs let out a low chuckle, which warmed Wufei. "Where is it that they're at?"

"Oh," said Wufei slightly awkwardly "Well, we find our selves spending much of our time in the science courtyard, by the cafeteria buildings."

Zechs made an interested noise "Huh," he said "You know, I don't think I've ever actually been there."

"Not many have been, or usually are for that matter," said Wufei, he ducked inside the grey brick building, holding the door for Zechs, whose frame nearly filled the door, and Zechs' blue eyes smiled his thanks. "Perhaps one of the reasons we favor it as much as we do."

Zechs nodded. He had noticed that whenever he spotted Wufei out and about the school, he and his immediately surrounding peers seemed to be cloistered off from others. It made sense.

"And this wont be a problem that I'm joining you?"

"Zechs," said Wufei, uncharacteristically using a tone he had witnessed Duo use on multiple occasions. "It's _no_ problem, stop _worrying_."

Zechs rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, which on his tall, aristocratic frame looked very out of place. They passed a student of Zechs' year in the hall they turned down, who gave them an odd look. Then, Zechs cell phone buzzed in his pocket, letting out a soft monotone of vibration noise.

Zechs looked at his pocket as if he didn't recognize it for a minute, before hurriedly reaching into his slack's pocket and pulling out the device. Wufei watched his movements, staying on Zechs' figure perhaps a moment too long. Even on the weekends the older boy, man really, was dressed better than many of the students. Wufei himself was wearing loose, thick cotton pants, and an old long sleeved thermal shirt, and a sweat shirt bearing his clans insignia was haphazardly unzipped and slung across him, for a moment he felt almost ashamed.

"Ah…no," said Zechs' into the phone, he ducked his head down and his light colored locks moved to cover both the phone and the side of his face. Right before his eyes moved from sight Wufei saw the blue orbs reflect something akin to pain, and paranoia, as if the other boy suddenly forgot to do something like breath.

Wufei shook his head a bit and took a couple steps away from Zechs as they both slowed to a stop, to give him some room. Zechs took the room and more as he edged a small ways down a side hallway for more privacy. Wufei tried not to listen to the conversation that was still echoing off the marble halls.

"I'm out with a friend if you must know," Zechs voiced hissed in silent fury, his consonants taking on a crisp aristocratic pronunciation.

"No I do not," Zechs continued "And no I don't think you need to know."

The voice on the other end said something that was both long and obviously not to Zechs' liking. "Have no fear; I will be back in time to be your lap dog."

His phone snapped closed and he stalked back down the hallway to Wufei, ruffling his hair angrily. His sky like orbs held only a mute anger now, nothing of what Wufei had noticed before.

Wufei awkwardly waited until Zechs was by his side once more, he not knowing whether it would be standoffish to meet him halfway. After a few short, albeit awkward, moments of silence Wufei hurriedly said "It's just around the corner, you'll be able to see them through the windows, and the courtyard entrance is actually on the opposite side, not exactly fire safe."

Wufei didn't know why he was blabbering additional information, so instead he started off their walk once more, playing with the straps of his school bag nervously. The call, to him, was obviously from Treize, and he had to wonder weather Zechs was escaping the relationship or caught in a relationship whirlwind of tiffs and hurt feelings. Wufei had never been the roll of reassuring friend; no one confided in him beyond the normal, they all had others for that.

Wufei heard Zechs make a small 'Mmm'-ing noise beside him and looked over at him, perhaps jerking his head a bit too much. "There's no reason to feel awkward," Zechs said "It was Treize, and I may have lost control over my anger, it happens."

"I…er wasn't feeling-," Wufei tried to say but was interrupted by Zechs laughter.

"It's quite alright, Wufei," he said, rosy ness returning to his cheeks, he slapped a friendly hand to Wufei's back, where it strayed for, perhaps, just a moment longer than decorum required. Wufei was bared any other sort of utterance by the sudden onslaught of sunlight as the wall next to them gave way to large windows.

"That," said Wufei, pointing "Is the courtyard. It looks like Quatre and Trowa are already there, we really didn't have an official meeting time, just a general hour."

Zechs looked out the windows dutifully at the small inner courtyard and they rounded another corner and walked the length of more windows. He was very interested in studying Wufei's friends, after all any friends of this enigma of a room mate of his had to be interesting ones indeed.

"Quatre Winner," Zechs questioned "Quatre Raberba Winner?"

"Yes," answered Wufei blinking "Is it a problem? Er, that is you sound a little odd?"

"Oh, no" replied Zechs "It's just I've met him before, a long time ago, and I knew he went to this school, I guess I am just mildly shocked to see him in person after all this time. He was always very…quiet."

Wufei didn't have much time to really say or do anything other than nod because the next moment he was holding another door open for Zechs, and the outdoor wind was assaulting them. He was pleased, however, to be thanked by those sky blue eyes once more.

Wufei wasn't one to shout across any distance to another person but he found himself waving giddily and exaggeratedly as they neared the other boys. "Where's Duo and Heero?" were the first words that tumbled from his mouth.

Trowa's eyes slunk from Zechs, whom he had been studying, to Wufei, surprisingly answering before Quatre could. "They haven't gotten here yet, we were surprised too."

Wufei nodded and then his eyes nodded "This is Zechs Marquis," he said gesturing vaguely to the man at his side. "I've invited him to, er; hang out with us this afternoon."

"Oh," said Quatre "Well that's wonderful," he stood and shook his hand, and then, shockingly pulled away the next moment, almost as if he had been burned.

Trowa, watching from his place on the large, old blanket that had been strewn across the cold ground for comfort, rose as well, noticing the odd stiffness in his boyfriend's shoulder. Wufei simply blinked.

"I'm sorry," gasped Quatre "I though Wufei said your name was Zechs Marquis?"

"It is," the other man replied, slowly and heavily, very deliberately looking at Quatre.

"Well," said Quatre slowly, furrowing his brow and asking Zechs a question with his eyes "It's nice to meet you."

"The same," said Zechs. Wufei and Trowa both sat back down, Trowa neglecting to greet Zechs. The silver haired young man eventually sat next to Wufei, as Quatre lowered himself next to Trowa.

Wufei set his jaw as a slew of small talk started, Quatre speaking almost as if he were reading off a manuscript. Watching, Trowa put a questioning hand on Quatre's thigh as Quatre said "So, Zechs, you're a fourth year here correct? I think I remember Wufei saying as much?" and as Wufei watched him do it something else was clarified for him.

Something was definitely not right here.

X-_X-_X

Heero had had enough about five seconds into Duo's fake smile hustle. It angered him, and normally anger wasn't something that he would let himself give into physically, however he had the urge to, and he did. The next second he dragged Duo, sparing him no comfort, into their floor's lounge room, rushing the door to shut behind them.

"Duo, please," Heero begged, letting go of the boy "Don't do this."

Duo straightened his still generally messy clothing for an exaggerated amount of time and then looked up at Heero. "Do what? You tripping out on me or something man?"

"This," said Heero, he wildly gestured to Duo with his right hand. "If I did something tell me, and let's get over it."

"I think you are one handedly having an argument with yourself," responded Duo, he tried to get past Heero to the door but Heero put his arm out horizontally, stopping Duo.

"I'm not having an argument Duo," said Heero, his normally soft monotone voice leaked away from him, swimming out into the emotion that was beginning to almost buzz in the air around him.

"Look, 'ro," said Duo, and then stopped. He didn't seem to have anything to continue with he just grabbed up his braid and began to play with the end nervously.

"If I made you uncomfortable," said Heero "In any way then I'm sorry, perhaps I shouldn't have told you about…_me_."

"No!" said Duo, somewhat louder than he intended. He dropped his braid at once. The wounded look on Heero's face was killing him. It was hard to get the cobalt eyed boy to open up to him sometimes, and to display emotions that Duo displayed on a day to day basis, but he did _not_ like the emotion that Heero was currently blazing.

"It's not that, Heero," Duo said, his voice dropping low when he let Heero's name roll of his tongue "It's me I promise, and it's really not about you being gay, got it? I mean Tro's gay and so it Q-man, and hell, Heero, I'm bi-sexual, that much I told you."

"Then what?" Heero asked, he dropped his arm to spin Duo towards him, making him face him fully, his arm staying and resting on Duo's shoulder, gripping it. "What made you _flee_ our room and act like-like…you were!"

Duo opened and closed his mouth and then tried to smirk "Jeez, 'ro, you sound like you're about to have a coronary, where's that stiff militaristic upbringing your dad raised you with, huh?"

Heero didn't respond to Duo's statement; just put his face directly into Duo's own face's personal space. Then he blinked, his mouth going slack and his face falling, his eyes looked away. "This is it isn't it?" he asked himself.

He slowly pulled his hands from Duo's shoulder. "It's because I got close to you…it's because…"

"Uh, Heero, buddy," said Duo, raising a finger into the air as if he were asking a question in class "You want to clue me in a little, because as far as I know I was doing pretty good at _evading_ the answer to the question."

"But it's not an answer you have," said Heero.

"Jesus Christ, Heero!" exclaimed Duo "You looked like you just realized you put a puppy in the oven instead of a Thanksgiving turkey!"

"Hn," Heero turned, facing away from Duo. His mind just couldn't compute the facts the rest of his body was sending to it. His brain was stuck on one, totally insoluble fact.

Duo crossed his arms, the good thing being he was no longer distant and fake towards Heero; the fifty feet from their dorm door had disappeared. He did, however, look like he was getting ready to seriously consider committing Heero.

"It's because I nearly _kissed_ you," said Heero, low and rugged, his voice a deep octave of entangled emotion. This was the side of Heero that Duo loved, the emotional, sensitive side that he only got to see sporadically, though certainly more than the others saw. Although, he could most certainly do with out the mysterious, confused emotions that Heero was currently exhibiting.

"_What_?" expelled Duo, his mouth went dry but his forehead broke out in sweat in retaliation, his cheeks reddening. He had though Heero hadn't noticed the way Duo had closed in onto his body, had stared at his lips, and had brought his face ever so closer. He thought Heero hadn't noticed that he had almost…

"Hey!" exclaimed Duo "I almost kissed _you_, buddy, don't go thinking you were working all on your own there."

Heero spun around to look at him, and then laughed. He laughed so hard he doubled over, clutching his stomach. Duo rubbed the back of his head.

"You know…'ro," Duo said, blushing "They make these things called psychologists; you might want to make an appoin-."

"Duo I thought you were _scared _of me!" Heero said, his cobalt eyes were spinning and his mouth was smiling "And I consider myself at least somewhat above the average intelligence. You ran out like that because you thought you had nearly kissed _me_?"

"Well, yeah," admitted Duo "What'd you think I was doing, impersonating a jack rabbit?"

"I thought you had realized what I was about to do. Duo," he said, his voice softening, his featured following "I thought you were running from _me_, I thought I was losing my best friend."

"'Ro," Duo said, his smile blooming, real this time "I don't know if you know this, but you're stuck with me for as long as my ruffian butt is breathing."

"I'm glad," Heero responded, all trace of his manic emotion was gone.

"But, ah," Duo said, a bit of awkwardness and nervousness returning "Where does this leave us?"

"I think that would best be decided by both of us," responded Heero, though he sounded hesitant.

"We'll talk later?" asked Duo.

Heero nodded. He eyed both doors, one on either side of the room. It was very likely that someone had just heard their conversation. The lounge was next door to the bathroom, and there were halls of rooms on either side. With it being the weekend, and there not being many people there, there _was_ a slim chance that their emotions hadn't just been unleashed upon the world.

"I promise," Heero smirked, tearing his eyes from the opposite door and walking over to hold the closest one open "After all I know where you sleep."

Duo shook his head, walking through the door "Heero Yuy, cracking jokes, what has the world come to?"

Heero chuckled, and the door closed.

X-_X-_X

"There you are!" shouted Quatre well naturedly across the clearing as Heero and Duo cleared the entrance and walked towards them. Duo thought that he sounded particularly odd, desperate almost.

"Hey, Quatre," said Duo, he plopped his bag on the corner of the blanket and squatted down, peering at Zechs "Who's the newbie?"

Heero laughed and swatted at Duo's hair, sitting down next to where Duo was squatting. Three pairs of eyes zeroed in on this movement, Quatre tearing his eyes away to answer Duo's question. "A friend of Wufei's actually."

"No!" Duo shouted in mock horror, he covered his heart and fell backwards dramatically onto the discolored grass. "The world…she is ending."

Heero wasn't the only on that laughed, but he was certainly the loudest.

"Heero's in good spirits," Trowa mumbled to Quatre as chuckles were still being exchanged. Quatre nodded subtly as he dug a thermos and some paper cups out the bag he had brought with him. (The cups were thick paper, made out of recycled material, the work that the Winner Corporation specialized in.)

"Har, har," said Wufei "Heero, Duo, this is Zechs Marquise, Zechs this is Heero Yuy, and the moron is Duo Maxwell."

Heero shook Zechs' outstretched hand politely, however when the same hand was presented to Duo he simply sat up and slapped five with the unsuspecting appendage.

"Yes...well," said Zechs "Nice to meet you."

Duo made a 'Pfft'-ing noise. "Sunshine, you gave a lecture to my astronomy class, can't believe you don't remember a face as gorgeous as mine."

Zechs caught on with Duo's joking easily enough. "I do apologize for my _heinous_ behavior," he said "However, there are sixty kids in that class, at least."

"Yeah," Duo laughed "All's forgiven; I normally sit in the back and sleep anyway."

Heero laughed at that, Quatre as well. "Baka," Heero muttered. Duo tossed him a fond look.

"Anyone up for hot chocolate?" asked Quatre, shaking the thermos he held.

"Yes, please," said Zechs, Heero noticed the less than luster look that flickered over Quatre's face for a moment. Wufei and Trowa nodded.

"Why, Quat, don't you think I'm already sweet enough?" Duo asked.

Wufei rolled his eyes. "You're about as sweet as a cavity, Maxwell."

Quatre laughed, pouring the hot chocolate out. Wufei noticed Zechs grin and felt an uncommon feeling of selfish pride over take him.

"Yay," Duo mock applauded as a cup was carefully handed to him. "None for 'ro though, he's an _icky_ coffee man."

"'Icky?'" said Heero "One would think that you didn't go to an illustrious private school."

"Meh," replied Duo, grinning. In fact, Wufei noticed, breaking off from staring at the crown of Zech's head where the afternoon sun was just cresting, both Duo and Heero really hadn't stopped smiling or grinning in any way since they arrived. Also, Heero certainly looked much more calm and relaxed than he usually did, even in front of his friends.

"So what are you in for, Zechsy?" asked Duo, already taking advantage of Zechs' name.

"Wufei was just kind enough to allow me to accompany him this afternoon," Zechs said "Or else I'd more than likely be reading or writing something wholly ethical and boring."

"Heh," said Duo "I just call this 'accompanying for the afternoon' stuff 'shooting the shit.'"

Zechs laughed. Wufei grinned in response; even the man's laugh was gentlemanly, and altruistic in nature, somehow.

Quatre's thermal of hot chocolate was eventually emptied, and Trowa even surprised them by disappearing for a few moments and coming back with a thermal of coffee and, for Duo who felt he was now getting gypped, a large bag of very salty, very greasy potato chips. Heero sighed the minute the coffee touched his lips, causing Duo to have a wicked thought and wag his eyebrows at Heero in clear innuendo.

Zechs smiled as he settled his back in against the tree, he was the closest one to it, and it was cold against his back, but the fall sun was nice and warm against his face. Not to mention he was feeling warmed by his current company. Wufei Chang was a pleasant surprise to him, and he certainly enjoyed the time they were spending together. He was noticing that the boy was actually far more relaxed than he normally appeared.

His friends were a pleasant surprise as well. He truly felt as if he were stepping into a pool of absolutely clear water, refreshing and stunning, though…Quatre Raberba Winner had been a surprise. He felt lively in the presence of these boys, livelier than he had in a long time. Of course, then he immediately felt guilty, he hadn't been living his life with shame so he shouldn't belittle the life he'd lived. However, Wufei's friends were still an afternoon gift to him.

He was just considering closing his eyes and relaxing to the sounds of the rambunctious conversation around him (mostly thanks to his dear room mate and a loud mouthed brunette) when the unthinkable happened. He really should have expected it, after all he was perfectly relaxed and off guard.

Treize Kushrenada's voice floated across the courtyard.

"Why Zechs," Treize's overly aristocratic voice floated through the conversation going on around him and cut it short in a unique manner that seemed to be his trait alone. "There you are. _We_ have been looking everywhere for you."

Zechs noticed Wufei seize up slightly, he brought his legs in and sat up straighter, looking at Zechs before turning a seemingly polite face towards his other room mate, who didn't bother to great him. Zechs however responded much differently. Instead of jumping or reacting in a manner that Treize would be pleased with he swung his face casually up towards Treize, intending to frustrate him with nonchalance.

However his eyes widened and his breath caught when he noticed who was standing beside Treize. "Relena?" he choked out.

"Hello, Milliardo," she said, wearing the award winning smile that she was known to sport at every public function she was required to attend. "Mr. Kushrenada was quite concerned when you began to not answer your cell phone."

She looked at Heero "Hello…Heero."

"Treize, please, _Relena_," slipped in Treize, smiling down into her face.

"I'm sorry, Relena," Zechs said slowly, looking at Treize. So Treize had run to Relena when Zechs had stopped answering his calls? Underhanded to say the least.

"Wait," said Duo. The others had been looking at the new arrivals with mild interest, and Heero with mild trepidation. "_Milliardo_? Is that supposed to be a nickname or something for Zechsy?"

"Zechsy?" asked Treize, distracted, for a moment a look of absolute anger and loathing came across his face, before being replaced by the seemingly charismatic one of an aristocrat. He laughed "No of course not, 'Milliardo' is Zechs' true name, 'Zechs' is more of an alias than anything else."

Wufei turned to look at Zechs. He had never witnessed the older boy being called 'Milliardo' before, and he didn't know why Relena would know his apparently real name anyway. However, when Wufei looked at Zechs he immediately knew something was wrong. Zechs appeared to be shell shocked, actually utterly betrayed and stunned.

"Relena," Zechs said his voice high and airy "Why did you just call me-? I though we agreed-?" he appeared to be at a loss for words.

Quatre on the other hand was not. He immediately stood a hard look on his face. "Mr. Kushrenada-"

"Treize, please."

"Treize, I believe you do remember me," Quatre put out a hand, Trowa rising beside him, a diplomatic smile coming to Quatre's face. "We've met on multiple occasions."

Treize's eyes narrowed. Then his face perfectly mimicked Quatre's "Quatre Raberba _Winner_, how good to see you."

"Likewise," said Quatre. He then, very quickly, and very obviously did something to turn Treize's world upside down. He went and stood directly beside Zechs, never taking his eyes of Treize. It was a clear declaration, all the guys had heard about Wufei's room mates, but this trouble was obvious. Quatre staked a claim, one that his name could firmly be used for.

Treize's eyes narrowed, Relena seemed almost oblivious, but it was obvious she knew something was going on.

Duo eyed the group back and forth, and he attempted to break the silence, that in actually wasn't a silence, but a battle of wills. "So…Zechsy, why'd you change your name? Thought Zechs was more awesome didn't you?"

Zechs smiled as heartily as he could at Duo. However, it was not he that answered, it was Treize.

"Oh you know," smiled Treize, he patted Relena on the shoulder and smiled at her, though her eyes were wide.

"I though you said that Milliardo had taken on the family name once again," she whispered as hurriedly to Treize as she could. Treize didn't answer her; his focus was still on the group in front of him.

"Relena, his sister by the way, yes, he's Milliardo _Peacecraft_, and his parents learned of something utterly horrid, and utterly vile, at least to them," Treize started, his air was of a great theatric drama, it was obvious by this point that Treize's entire point was to be as vicious as possible.

"Treize!" said Relena, it was obvious that _her_ intent was not to be vicious; it seemed that she had been tricked. "This is Milliardo's choice."

Louder she continued "And the family did not react to what they learned," her eyes softened towards Milliardo and he grimaced back "Milliardo knows that."

Treize made a shrugging motion "My family was much more sympathetic to the news of lifestyle change, though (he gave a fake half sigh) it's to be expected with _their_ particular type of influence."

"My family did not turn their backs on me because of _homosexuality_, Treize, as you well know," Zechs turned to the others, he rolled his eyes. How embarrassing was it to be faced with relationship drama in front of new acquaintances. "I did not agree with the family's ideologies and theories, please do not try to do things like this, Treize. It makes you look petty."

Treize only grinned, however Milliardo couldn't help but wonder what Treize had sought to gain from this. Had he been only wishing to out Zechs in front of these new people? Or… (Zechs suddenly had a sneaking suspicion) had Treize's goal been to out him in front of _Wufei_? What good would that have done? Wufei was obviously comfortable with his homosexual friends, and he'd been living with them for almost three months having no problem with their open relationship.

"Well," Treize "I guess I will see you back at the dorm, and if not then at Andrew's party tomorrow night, Relena said she's attending as well."

Treize turned to look at Trowa, Duo, Heero, and Wufei. "Of course, it's by invitation only."

This caused Zechs to smirk. "Oh, Treize," Zechs said "I really have quite a bit of studying to do tomorrow night, I guess I wont be able to make your social engagement. I _do_ so apologize."

Treize's smug smile disappeared instantly. "Is that so? How disappointing," he said and then turned on his heel and stalked away, his body a quiver with fury. His hands were balled up in fists. Zechs actually held up in congratulating himself on a win, whatever Treize's revenge for this was going to be it was definitely going to be large and well thought out.

Relena hesitated, it was obvious she was feeling out of place and more than a little confused at the display. "I am so, _so_ sorry Millia- Zechs, I though you had taken on the family name once more, I didn't realize-."

"It's O.K." Zechs said softly, he walked forward and embraced his sister "I'll see you for tea tomorrow."

"Yes," Relena murmured, her eyes shifted to Heero. "It was good to see you Heero," she walked away exuding all the grace of her upbringing.

Heero nodded. Quatre and Trowa had sat back down; Quatre appeared as if he were thinking particularly intensely. The information he must have from his high up social circle must have put an interesting spin on what he had just witnessed.

Wufei stood. He had been quiet, Quatre the only one really saying anything during the interlude. "Perhaps we should head back to the dorm?" he asked.

"Yes," nodded Zechs. He gathered his books. It was somewhat awkward, something he wasn't used to. He prided himself on his social savvy ness.

"Hey, Zechsy," said Duo, slapping a hand on his back. "You want to join us for breakfast tomorrow? It's sure to be interesting."

Quatre laughed lightly. "You can watch Maxwell eat his weight in food," said Wufei.

Zechs smiled. "I'd love to."

"Great," said Quatre.

"We'll see you in the morning then," said Wufei, his face oddly relaxed for the tense situation they'd just been in. He and Zechs left.

"Dude," said Duo, grabbing Heero's shoulders "This is going to be awesome, Wufei and his new honey bunny!"

**X-_X-_X **

**Sorry for the lateness! The updates are going to be once a month now. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, I've a lot more plans for this fanfiction then I did in the beginning.**

**AnimeSiren**


	7. Chapter 7

**Elitist Theory**

**Chapter Seven**

_Enjoy_

**X-_X-_X**

"I must say your friends are certainly entertaining," said Zechs, a laugh on his voice.

They were out front of their dorm, Wufei rummaging through his pocket for his keys. Zechs shivered slightly in the cold; however nothing could ruin the good mood running rampant through his mind. After Treize had left they had had an afternoon of pure relaxation.

Wufei snorted "They are entertaining at times, however Maxwell in particular has moments of marsupial action."

Zechs laughed, and stepped back so that Wufei could use the light from the small walk way lantern to find the correct key. "Duo's simply…rambunctious."

"And you," said Wufei, finally swinging the door open "Are _far_ too nice."

They both let out sighs of relief as they stepped into their room, the warmth sending a rosy touch back to Wufei's cheeks. Wufei shed his outer layer and then looked over to Zechs, who was peering around the apartment.

"Looking for Treize?" Wufei asked softly.

Zechs turned and looked back to Wufei "Yes," he replied frankly "However I am relieved to see that he is not here."

"Less pompous attitude that way," scoffed Wufei, and then froze. He peered out of the corner of his eye at Zechs. While the two had been having problems Wufei wasn't certain if they'd actually broken up yet, or if Zechs would take offense from his statement.

"That's true," Zechs said with amusement, turning the over head light on. He smiled to Wufei "Your companionship is much more interesting and tranquil."

Wufei didn't know how to reply and simply tugged on his collar. Finding the fact that Zechs was simply leaning against the kitchen counter watching him as awkwardly he moved to take his belongings into the bedroom that the three shared.

"Here," said Zechs suddenly ducking down and grabbing Wufei's sweatshirt and bag before he could protest "Let me get that for you."

Wufei nodded jerkily. He had felt Zechs' warm breath against his cheek and was struck by an uncanny anxiousness. He furrowed his brow at Zechs' retreating back. Zechs was back the next moment, his expression completely inviting.

The silence returned for a moment, and Wufei went and got a glass out of the cupboard and filled it with water. He avoided Zechs' eyes and took a large gulp. He didn't know why all of a sudden he was finding his roommate's presence so awkward; he thought he had finally burst through the privacy bubble with him.

"Oh," said Zechs suddenly "I was meaning to ask you, did you want to join me for tea with my sister after classes tomorrow?"

Wufei, very carefully, set down his glass.

"You don't _have_ to, of course," Zechs said hurriedly. He paused and waited for Wufei to respond.

"Ah, no!" said Wufei "I mean that's fine. I'd be delighted."

"Good," said Zechs quickly, his tone pivoting on happiness.

"So," said Wufei slowly. "I'm going to finish up a questionnaire for my bio-physics class-."

"Yeah," said Zechs "I'm going to hit the hay, wouldn't want to be awake when the _master_ finally comes back."

Wufei laughed nervously. He turned and then spun to catch Zechs before he disappeared in the bedroom "So I'll just meet you here after class?"

"Yes," Zechs called "And don't worry, my sister may be a politician but she doesn't bite—much!"

Wufei set down on the couch and then let out a deep sigh. He didn't have a questionnaire to finish. "You," he said to his body, his arched eyebrow disappearing up to his hairline "What is wrong with you?"

X-_X-_X

"So," said Duo showing Heero into their room and out of the hallway, slamming their door in the process "Time for our talk?"

Heero blinked. "Why are you grinning like a…" he paused.

"Cheshire cat?" asked Duo.

"Fitting," replied Heero.

"Well," said Duo, throwing his arms wide. He waggled his eyebrows "It's our _talk_."

"You tool."

Duo laid a hand over his chest in mock horror. "Borrowing thy language are thee?"

"Hn."

"Let me guess," said Duo "You're going to start conspiring against me soon with Wuffers aren't you?"

"Never," said Heero. However it came off utterly and completely sincere. It was so much so that Duo plunked down on Heero's bed, looking at him.

"I've never actually started a 'talk,'" said Heero slowly. He rubbed his chin and a shy flush began to spread itself up his neck and onto his face.

"I have," Duo waved a hand in the air "Or I've participated in a lot of them at least."

"A lot?" Heero raised a brow.

"Well," Duo laughed nervously. "That's my part of the 'talk' actually."

Heero didn't reply but just looked at Duo. The other boy had a hand on the back of his head, and his eyes were cast downward. Heero tried catching his eyes. Was Duo going to say that he didn't think he could have anything to do with Heero? Nothing beyond their friendship?

"Listen, 'Ro," said Duo, finally looking up "I've hit relationships hard and fast before, so whatever happens, let's let things go slow, O.K?"

"Relationship?" Heero's eyes widened almost imperceptibly "You mean…you want to—."

"'Ro," said Duo, leaning forward and brushing Heero's bangs out of his eyes "Let me put it this way. If you're O.K. with it, you are totally going to be mine, and I'm totally going to be yours, agreed buddy?"

"Yes," Heero said. Duo almost laughed, his new _boyfriend_ was almost breathless. Duo grinned.

"You do realize this means you get to be my _love_ slave now, right?" He laughed at the look on Heero's face, his eye brows wagging suggestively.

"I've never been in a relationship before," said Heero, standing, he tugged Duo up with him.

Duo leaned in "That sounds like a chick flick."

Heero pushed Duo jokingly, and then tugged him back to him. "Guess that's going to have to be fixed."

"I guess it is, Mr. Yuy," replied Duo. Then he did the single most surprising thing that Heero could never have expected at that moment. Duo stole a kiss.

"Guess what I found?" Duo said just as Heero's kiss deepened. "I had left my Astronomy book in Quat's dorm and he gave it back."

"Hn," Heero muttered, leaning back in. Duo pushed him away.

"I guess I better start my homework," Duo said airily, smirking "Wouldn't want to walk into class empty handed tomorrow, now would I?"

Heero uttered an almost tangible growl.

"Wouldn't want to lose my street rat scholarship," said Duo, flopping backwards on his bed.

Heero didn't say anything else however he did settle in next to Duo on his bed. He put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes, grinning up at the ceiling. Duo snorted and then opened his textbook. Not even the daunting task of making up six chapters of reading could ruin the indescribable bubble of pleasure that was welling up inside of him.

X-_X-_X

Wufei's eyes flew open, sending a short jolt of dizziness through his mind. He wasn't immediately aware of what had woken him, but soon it was apparent. He sat up slowly, stretching and stifling a yawn. He swung his legs over the side of his bed, slipping them into his slippers, and then trained his ears to the conflict that was going on in the other half of the suite, beyond the bedroom door.

"Treize!" Zechs hissed. The object of his anger was filling a travel cup with coffee, and throwing his book bag over his shoulder, all the while carrying the same smug smirk he had been since rising that morning.

"Treize!" Zechs hissed again, this time louder. He hoped that their voices weren't permeating the bedroom door and disturbing Wufei "How dare you out my name like you did yesterday!"

"Why, Zechs," said Treize finally turning and sipping his coffee imperiously. "I was just so worried that I couldn't find you."

"So you told Relena that I had decided to take on the family name again?" Zechs nearly bellowed. It was taking him a grand sum of will power to control his rage. Dealing with Treize was always frustrating; the man never saw anything he didn't want to see. Also, the fact that Zechs' hair was still frumpy from sleep and he only had on sweats was doing nothing to promote his confidence level.

Treize shrugged, making a move towards the door.

"You will not leave!" commanded Zechs "Until you have apologized to me."

"Why would I feel the need to apologize to you?" asked Treize, mock shock on his features.

"Because," began Zechs, his words punctuated by the turn of Treize's hand on the door knob "If you don't you will not have a boyfriend much longer."

"Oh Zechs," said Treize, his face and tone taking on mock pity now "You wouldn't ever break up with _me_," with that final sneer he closed the door behind him.

Zechs didn't stop himself from picking up the dish drainer and chucking the inoffensive object across the apartment, from where it slapped against the wall and clattered to the ground, its un-broken form taunting Zechs even more.

His ire reaching its peak he turned to stalk back towards the bedroom, intent to dress for a day of classes and a breakfast amongst Wufei and his friends that would hopefully distract him from his rage.

When he got into the room he grabbed up clothing and bathing essentials and then left the room hurriedly once more, never noticing that Wufei's still form was not actually the form of a sleeping man as he had thought but one with wide open eyes, which was looking at him intentely. When Zechs left Wufei sat back up, and sighed.

X-_X-_X

"Bored with aristocrats yet?" asked Zechs as they left the outer entrance to Relena's dorm, where they had been for tea.

"Mm, haven't decided," said Wufei, boldly winking at Zechs. It was true, while Relena had had a certain kind of interaction with he and his friends in the past, she was rather different when dealing with Zechs.

She hadn't really uttered a personal opinion the entire time they sipped tea, but had continuously fed into whatever Zechs was talking about. It had taken Wufei a few moments to notice it, however eventually it was hard not to notice. It seemed that the younger Peacecraft had a self-esteem complex around her older, less aristocratic sibling.

Zechs laughed lightly. "I was wondering if you might want to visit a friend of mine with me. No diplomats or aristocrats I promise."

Wufei hesitated in accepting. While they had only been at tea for just under an hour that time had been excruciating. His palms kept sweating, and he was nervous the whole time. He didn't think that it was entirely due to the uncomfortable conversation with Relena, as he was constantly aware of Zechs' presence by his side in a most unusual way.

"You don't have to of course," Zechs said softly after seeing Wufei hesitate.

"No, it's fine," said Wufei quickly "How long will we be there?"

"Not long," responded Zechs, pursing his lips slightly "I promise."

"Alright," said Wufei. He was sure his friends would wonder where he was though.

Zechs frowned. He didn't want Wufei to go if he didn't want to. He didn't want to push the younger student. Perhaps he shouldn't have expected Wufei to want to be around him when he could just as soon be around his real friends?

"Can I borrow your phone?" Wufei asked, breaking Zechs out of his melancholy. Zechs fumbled in his pockets for a moment before producing the asked for object.

"Just want to send a message to Duo," offered Wufei, running his hands over the keyboard quickly.

"No problem," replied Zechs. He tugged his scarf closer around him as they made their way across north campus.

"Is this friend a student?" asked Wufei.

"Yeah," replied Zechs "She's in my year; we've been friends for a decade."

"That sounds great," said Wufei, blinking and looking up at Zechs. He had gotten the impression that Zechs lacked a lot of social contact.

"You sound surprised," said Zechs.

Wufei grimaced, had he really? "Well," he began "I just don't find that you discuss social things that often or rather…"

"Seem to have no friends?" offered Zechs.

"Yeah."

"Well that's true," Zechs said shrugging. They passed the botanical gardens. "For a long time Treize's friends have been my friends but, of course, there's no connection. Lucretia is really my only true friend I guess. Apart from you of course!"

Wufei flushed. "And do you, ah, enjoy being friends with a Chinese bookworm?"

"Definitely."

"Well," said Wufei "You are always welcome to join the others and I for lunch, Quatre was quite impressed with you, as were the others. He kept asking all sorts of questions about you."

Wufei laughed lightly at that but didn't notice the dark look that passed over Zechs' face for the barest of a moment "Did he now?" he murmured.

Wufei nodded. "I don't mean to sounds like a geek, but we're pretty much a bunch of outcasts and, in Maxwell's case, failure of humanity."

Zechs bumped Wufei's shoulder. "I think you all are great. Absolutely real, none of this aristocratic air that everyone puts on around here. Especially Quatre Winner, born and bred an aristocrat he acts realistic quite well."

Wufei smiled. "Quatre is great, he really is. He and Heero are perhaps my closest friends."

Zechs didn't respond, and Wufei didn't look up to spot the uneasy look on his features.

"Where are we going?" asked Wufei suddenly. They had passed all the outer lying building, and we rounding where the old orchard used to be present, now was long dead.

"She lives in the faculty building," replied Zechs.

"Why?" asked Wufei incredulously. He slowed his walking a bit. Just who were they going to meet? "You said she's a student."

"She is," replied Zechs "However she has an outstanding arrangement with the institution, she'll be student teaching once this semester has ended."

"Oh," said Wufei. He suddenly found the idea of Zechs' friend being older and apparently quite studios oddly intimidating. "Friends with the teachers now are you?" he said jokingly.

"Oh yes," replied Zechs, smirking. They rounded the corner to the faculty building and began to walk along its length.

"Injustice," said Wufei with mock indignation. Zechs laughed.

"You crack me up."

"Well I try," Wufei had trouble stopping his cheeks from heating up. Instead he moved ahead slightly to open the door for Zechs.

"Thanks."

They were to Lucretia's door before long, the upper level holding many faculty dorms, and Wufei found himself unable to stop fidgeting. He had nearly pulled the straps off his bag, he'd been unable to stop playing with the buttons on his uniform, and it was positively maddening.

"Zechs!" she shouted, flinging the door open and pulling the white haired man into a bone crushing hug. Wufei waited awkwardly to be acknowledged.

"Noin," he said in greeting, returning her hug. His eyes lit up in pleasure. Wufei felt an odd heat spread through his chest when he noticed, and his eyes narrowed.

"Who's this?" asked 'Noin.' She gave Zechs a teasing look.

"This," said Zechs stepping back and gesturing to Wufei "Is Wufei Chang, he's my roommate."

"Oh," said Noin, her eyes lighting up, she exchanged a sly look with Zechs.

Zechs coughed. "Wufei, this is Lucretia Noin, she prefers going by solely 'Noin.'"

"It's a pleasure to meet you," said Wufei stiffly, bowing his head towards Noin.

"None of that!" exclaimed Noin, she reached forward and pulled him into a hug. "Come on in you guys."

Eventually they found themselves seated on a comfy futon couch, Noin prattling on to Zechs, and seemingly including Wufei whenever possible. That wasn't to say that Wufei was actively participating in the conversation, he let them converse without him, leaning back and sipping the soda that Noin had provided him.

"So," said Noin, the tone of the conversation changing "What's up with Treize?"

Zechs entire facial expression changed, his fine features becoming marred with anger and something somewhat deeper. Wufei shifted his eyes to look at him, and to see his response as well as hear it.

"I believe it is over," said Zechs, his vowels became that more pronounced as the emotion he spoke with got deeper.

"Hallelujah," responded Noin "I told you shouldn't have gotten involved in the first place. He was all wrong for you."

"He's making things difficult though," said Zechs. "I don't know how I'm going to be able to live with him and his…more difficult predilections."

"You mean asshole predilections," snorted Wufei, before flushing slightly at what he had said. Duo really was rubbing off on him.

Noin laughed "I think this one's got it pegged, Zechs."

"Yes," said Zechs, his deep timbre voice lightening a bit with amusement "Wufei has been a godsend in that dorm."

"Maybe you should request a room change," said Noin, looking at Zechs. "Just try to move into one of the other senior suites."

He shook his head slightly "You know that would never work, Noin. The power of Treize Kushrenada runs deep. He's practically worshiped by the other seniors."

Noin paused, a spoon full of yogurt inches from her face "So request to be changed into a normal dorm."

Zechs made a noncommittal noise. He looked the other way, out of the window, an unhappy frown on his face. Noin sighed, and then _oddly_ shifted her eyes to Wufei.

Wufei gulped.

"Zechs," said Noin "Just see if they can put you _and_ Wufei here in a normal dorm. That wouldn't be horrible would it?"

Zechs looked up, surprised. "That would be the very opposite of horrible," he glanced over to Wufei. "But I'm sure Wufei is settled he wouldn't want to move rooms unnecessarily."

Wufei's gumption spoke before his brain "I wouldn't mind," he paused "That is, I mean, why would I want to room with Treize if you moved out, anyway? I'd rather go than stay."

"Really?" asked Zechs, Wufei nodded. "Thank you, Wufei."

Wufei again spared a glance down at his body, what _was_ that that he was feeling? Wufei looked back up, catching the glance of Noin before smiling at Zechs.

"Excellent," Noin grinned.

X-_X-_X

Treize Kushrenada was not pleased. Like any member of the Kushrenada family, displeasure would come with its costs. His face screwed up in a silent snarl as he watched Zechs and Wufei leave Relena's dormitory from around the corner. He watched them like a hawk as they began to head towards the botanical gardens.

He would not be thwarted. The underclassman would not be the one to steal his most favorite play time possession. He would make sure that all suffered hell until what was rightfully his was within his grasp once more. He smirked, the anger draining serpentine like out of his face; he put on a pleasant smile and walked swiftly around the corner.

The fact that the school had outer room entrances for most of their dormitory buildings was a prize for his observations. He'd watch them, he'd watch them all. He would know when they came and went, and he would know _exactly_ when to destroy them.

When he knocked on the door, and when the girl inside answered and came to the door his pleasant smile became all too cat-and-canary.

"Treize," said the delicate, diplomatic voice. "This is certainly a surprise, are you looking for Zechs? He's not here."

"No, I am not looking for _Milliardo_," replied Treize, he leaned in further towards the door way, causing her to open it wider.

"Please," her voice came out politely stern "Do not use that name, it was not within your right to take advantage of it yesterday."

Treize donned a properly sheepish façade "I do apologize, Relena dear, I thought that it was time for him to be more open."

Relena furrowed her brow. She did not completely trust the man before her, only having associated with him due to the association with her brother. She knew all the rumors about the man and his family, however, she was a pacifist, and it was not her place.

"Is there something I can assist you with?" Her voice was so light, so airy, 'Yes,' thought Treize 'The perfect target.'

"Actually I was wondering if I could speak with you about something," he said, then gestured around with a properly gracious laugh "In private if you will."

"Certainly," said Relena, she opened the door wider. Her indulgent words were belied by the suspicious tone she spoke with.

"Thank you," he said "Now I was wondering something, I had some observations about that Heero Yuy boy, might I interest you?"

X-_X-_X

Wufei was staring blankly at his Bio-Physics book, legitimately having work to do that night. He could not shake the feeling that was curling around his chest whenever he thought of the Noin woman he had met, specifically her _and_ Zechs. It was mind numbing, completely distracting. It was annoying.

Zechs himself was milling about the kitchenette area, and had been since Wufei had come back from dinner. When he had walked through the door the other man had swiftly declared that he was making a Latin dish that was going to make Wufei salivate. Wufei had had several colorful comebacks for that statement, but his mouth had been struck dry by the sight of the other man bopping care freely around the severely under stocked kitchen area.

Zechs was positively _ecstatic_. Who knew that cooking could make the man that happy? Or was it something besides the cooking?

Wufei had chosen the one piece of furniture that did not face Zechs, and had immediately broken open any and all work that he could think of. However after being unable to focus he was in the present situation.

However, he didn't have to be distracted too much longer because all of a sudden there was a stern pounding on their dormitory door, the one that led outside. Wufei looked over the top of the couch at Zechs, who shrugged. Neither of them knew who it was.

Wufei set his textbook down and opened the door. What met his gaze was his four other friends all dressed in varying degrees of casual dress, and Quatre and Duo were grinning like Christmas had come early.

"What?" Wufei asked intelligently. He was somewhat shell shocked by all four of their frames pressed into the door, Maxwell nearly humming with excitement.

"We're going to Andrew's party," said Quatre, smugly.

"We are?" asked Wufei, his eyebrows raised. Behind him the sounds of the kitchenette had faded away.

"Yup," said Duo "Zechsy too!"

"Alright," said Wufei still rather stunned, he looked behind him and met Zechs eyes. Zechs met his gaze, and echoed his statement.

**X-_X-_X**

**Another chapter is done, and locked away in your minds forevermore, just kidding. I hope you enjoyed, and I hope you reviewed.**

**I want to thank a few people who have been with the story pretty much from the beginning so far: thanks to** _TKM, lildaemon666, and wind demoness1989_


	8. Chapter 8

**Elitist Theory**

**Chapter Eight**

_Enjoy_

**X-_X-_X**

Wufei tugged on his cuff yet _again_ as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. They were all piled into Duo's ancient jeep and were hurtling down the service road away from the school. Not only was Wufei wedged uncomfortably between Zechs and Trowa, in uncomfortably clothing, but he was certain that any moment now Duo would run over some sort of animal, probably a damn grizzly bear.

Wufei looked to the right when he felt the deep rumble of laughter against his shoulder "What?" he asked, rather petulantly.

"Nothing," murmured Zechs, turning to look back out the side of the vehicle, a grin staying on his face, tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Wufei grunted and attempted to shift around in his seat again. This vehicle seemed so much more comfortable when it was five teens rolling at a dangerous speed towards the center of town, not when it was six.

Wufei furrowed his brow, adjusting his cuff. It was his personal opinion that dress shirts were meant to be buttoned and tucked in, not left loose and unadjusted the way that Maxwell had miserably made him leave his. Though, he noted looking subtly over at Zechs, _he_ seemed to look rather…dashing dressed that way.

Wufei took a breath and looked away before anyone noticed the redness creeping up his face, though he doubted they would in the night light.

Quatre grinned to himself as he watched Heero and Duo hook hands over the gear shift. He was squashed up against Heero, who was in turn squashed up against Duo, who was seemingly finding the whole situation smashing.

He turned and smiled back at Trowa, who returned his smile readily. Quatre sighed contentedly as he turned back to look out of the windshield. They were almost to town and life was looking pretty good. He could even forget his suspicions of Zechs, or rather Milliardo.

"How'd you strategize this, Quatre?" Wufei asked from the back. His voice seemed barely contained at its level. The boy definitely would be happy when he was let out.

Quatre resisted the urge to smirk, feeling rather sheepish. "It was just a matter of invitations," he replied. "I always get invited by Andrew, and Heero was invited last week, and Zechs has been invited, naturally. Everything is plus one, so we're all covered."

"You have a rascally streak in you, Quat," Duo said, laughing. "I'm telling you. Wonder what that Treize will think when we 'miscreants' show up."

Quatre only grinned back at the boy. He had figured this would be an interesting coup-de-tat of sorts. He was surprised that Zechs had deigned to go along with it; he seemed to live a low key life recently.

Wufei caught Zechs eye, wind whipping through his hair roughly. "What're you going to do?"

"No idea," Zechs replied. He smiled down at Wufei though, seemingly care free. Wufei smiled back. If Zechs wasn't going to worry, then he didn't see why he had too, even though it was most decidedly against his nature. Maybe it'd be nice to worry about something afterwards for once.

Trowa looked around the car, suppressing a grin. His friends were being docile now; he couldn't wait for it all to go to proverbial hell.

Quatre shot him a grin from the front.

X-_X-_X

"I like this song," murmured Duo. He was moving his body in time to the fast paced song that was blaring over the area. The party had been set up south of the warehouse district where Andrew had rented out a decked area that provided a large area of dark corners and cozy angles for students to sneak away to.

When they had arrived it hadn't been all that shocking to anyone. They were hardly noticed at first, eventually a few titters weaved there way across the crowded, grassy knoll, and pier, but there was really no other notice of them. After awhile Duo and Heero had taken the opportunity to find a private area of their own.

"You've liked all the songs," said Heero, his voice halted and soft. He wrapped a hand in Duo's braid as the other boy smirked at him and nuzzled into his neck.

"What can I say? I like tasteful things."

"Hn," Heero moved his arm to wrap under Duo's abdomen and then flipped the boy, leaning over him and grinning. He swooped down and stole a kiss from the bemused violet eyed boy.

"Party's almost over," groaned Duo, letting his head fall back onto the damp grass.

"So?" contradicted Heero. He continued his romantic assault down Duo's chin and then to his neck.

"The boys'll be showing up to drag us back soon," Duo protested.

"I never accept a mission I can't finish," Heero protested back.

Duo rolled his eyes, wrestling the both of them up into a sitting position "That's romantic."

Heero didn't respond. Smug was a zone he was getting comfortable in.

Duo took the opportunity to look around them. The night sky wasn't offering much light and all the multicolored lights positioned around the dance floor were doing was casting long shadows over the rest of the area. Duo let his gaze mingle around the dwindling dance floor finding that his eyes rest rested on a pair of familiar frames.

"Hey," he said jutting his elbow backwards, grinning when he heart a sharp intake of breath.

"What?" groused Heero.

"Think Wuffers likes Sexy Zechsy?"

"I don't know whether that is a sentence that seeks to annoy Wufei or _me_," Heero shot back. His naturally husky voice dipped past monotony and into a drole like facade.

Duo spared him a glance and a grin, running a hand up Heero's face. "Don't worry princess; you're the sexiest of them all."

Heero rolled his eyes and followed Duo's eyes to their friend and his companion "Wufei can do whatever he wants, he knows how to take care of himself."

"Mm, sure," Duo replied offhand.

"Hey," Heero said, suddenly alert "Treize is heading towards them."

"What?" demanded Duo standing. His eyes darted to either side of the two, searching for the aristocratic stance and almond hair of Treize Kushrenada. It was true though, Treize was heading right at the two.

"This can't be good," Duo grimaced. Heero didn't say anything; he just moved to stand next to Duo, his eyes flashing protectively.

X-_X-_X

Wufei was just getting used to bluffing through easy conversation while hosting nervous nausea with Zechs when he saw a familiar head appear over the other man's shoulder, glaring at him fiercely. Treize tapped Zechs on the shoulder pointedly, twice, before the other man turned to face him.

Zechs noticed the change in Wufei's facial expression before he felt the tap, but he really shouldn't have doubted that this was going to happen. After all he had been preparing himself to confront Treize once and for all ever since Duo had grinned through their dormitory door hadn't he?

He still growled his voice and asked the necessary "What do you want, Treize?"

"I think I have something to discuss with you," Treize responded, doing his best to make his voice as degrading and pompous as was humanly possible.

Zechs didn't raise another objection, while he'd dearly love to take the man down a few pegs for ordering him around; he wanted this conversation as much, maybe even more than Treize. He purposefully blocked Treize with his shoulder, made an apologetic look to Wufei, and touched his lingeringly on the shoulder before turning and following Treize.

They made there way off the dance floor and away from the pier, and further on into the quiet of the late night. Treize was strutted harshly, kicking up dust with every step, and Zechs was certain that if the man had been wearing a cape it would be swishing deviously in the breeze.

The last big bash of the summer was looking to kick of fall with a boom.

Treize was seething. How dare Zechs show up _here_ where Treize had so obviously not expected him to be, and bring those ridiculous friends of Wufei with him? How dare he so obviously contradict him in front of everyone? How dare he spend the night cavorting with another man, sharing secret smiles and lazy touches?

He stopped abruptly, hoping to trip the fairer haired man up a bit, and turned on his heel.

Zechs wasn't tripped up, in any way. He was standing tall emotionally and physically, mentally having prepared himself for this conversation, and determined to come out on top.

Treize stared at him haughtily, as if Zechs were the one that was expected to speak first. He wanted to see Zechs quake some, or fidget nervously, however the only thing that Zechs did was stare straight back.

"Fine," Treize muttered softly, too softly for Zechs to hear him.

Then louder he said: "Did you think I would notice your…_promiscuous_ actions tonight?"

"I have two things to say to you right off, Treize," Zechs said flatly, in a monotone that he very well may have picked up from Heero Yuy. "The first is that you need to get off your damn pedestal."

Treize was taken aback by the blunt statement but he didn't let it show, even in the dim starry light. He raised a brow and contented himself to look cockily bemused.

"The second," continued Zechs "Is that I am once and for all going to tell you that I am not your belonging. It was cute in the beginning, encouraging even, however enough is really enough."

"What do you think you can do about that?" demanded Treize "Do you think you have the ability to go up against a foundation so great."

"Cut the crap," Zechs said, again bluntly. He wasn't going to let the aristocratic, diplomatic maddening façade continue any longer "I am officially breaking off this relationship, and I am stating it very, _very_ clearly so that there are no misconceptions."

"No you're not," said Treize, a semi-vicious smirk on his face. He clearly was seeing the situation as an adult to a tantrum ridden child.

"I'm not lying," Zechs said. He was feeling liberated bit by bit with the conversation. Even though his frustration was mounting the longer the conversation went on he was feeling _good_ that he was standing up to this…tyranny of sorts. It felt like a mask was breaking piece by piece from his face.

"Milliardo," Treize said, putting specific emphasis on the name "You will never leave me."

"I'm moving to a different dorm," retorted Zechs "Actually physically leaving you, you do realize? Wufei is moving out as well."

Treize looked the white haired man over. He was truly not lying; he was really attempting this _folly_. His anger rose by leaps in the next moments "So," he snarled, his perfect appearance seeming to unravel "You are hosting some peasant affair with Chang are you?"

"We're doing no such thing," replied Zechs, gesturing with a hand "Not that it is any of your business."

They stared at one another.

"I expect that any time we come across one another from now on you will be civil," Zechs said, brandishing the last words like a sword.

Zechs hesitated for another moment, wavering on whether there needed be anything else to say, before turning and tentatively beginning a self assured stride make towards the party. He didn't hear foot falls behind him and was glad for it, he wasn't quite certain he could walk so confidently back if Treize had been following him.

When he stepped back past the line of strung up party lights he let out a breath, brushing his hands up his arms a couple times for warmth. He felt truly liberated, but also so much wearier. He had been a revolutionary in that relationship for as long as he could remember, seemingly fighting this establishment that had some sort of chaotic hold on him. Everything was new, and that much more anxious.

Perhaps it was time he search out Wufei, seek solace in the comfort that the other man's presence seemed to offer, and suggest that they find the others and make their way back to the school.

X-_X-_X

"I hope you don't consider rolling around on a bed kissing the hell out of each other going to fast anymore," said Duo half heartedly "Because I am really beginning not to care."

"Don't care," muttered Heero in return, swooping down to capture Duo's lips again. The violet eyed boy had an intoxicating habit of grinning against his lips.

"You know," laughed Duo during a particularly long breathing break. "For a guy who doesn't use his mouth much you sure no how to kiss."

"You're just that intoxicating," said Heero, closing his eyes and wrapping an arm around the other boy's abdomen.

"Aghast! The horror!" Duo said, fluttering his eyes and adopting a satirical tone "The great Heero Yuy is succumbing from his stone state and being romantic and dare I say…" he wagged his eyes, turning on his side and slipping an arm around Heero "Perverted."

Heero rolled his eyes and shoved the other boy away, still grinning though. They settled into a comfortable silence in the next few minutes, neither one of them wanting to end the night (or rather early morning) yet, even though they had early classes tomorrow.

Both boys just laid there submersed in their thoughts, unconsciousness flirted on the edges of their eyes.

Heero's snapped open. He was careful not to move a muscle though, so as not to disturb Duo at his side, but he began studying the ceiling very carefully. However, it wasn't really the ceiling that his thoughts were becoming studious over; it was something that had long flitted about in the back of his mind.

"You know," he said slowly, his vowels straining in thought "I've heard the name Kushrenada around, before the start of school."

"I think we all have," sighed Duo, still not opening his eyes "Rich bastards own all that real estate down south, and build those things on the coast for the government, remember?"

"Yeah," drawled Heero. "But that's where I know the name from."

Duo popped one eye open, looking at him suspiciously. "'Ro, you don't sound like your just remembering a house ad in the weekly newspaper, what's going on?"

Heero turned back onto his side and got comfortable while Duo popped the other eye open, doing the same. "I think," Heero said, picking up the end of Duo's braid and playing with it "That my dad worked a case on them."

Heero didn't talk about family life much, basically at all. When they all had been getting to know one another Quatre had asked about his family, he had simply shrugged and said that his mother was dead and his dad worked in government. It was _very_ unusual for Heero Yuy to bring up anything that wasn't essentially important.

"Like, they tried to screw with the government or something?" asked Duo. This was certainly an interesting turn of events for Duo; Treize seemed like teen that was prepared to turn into a man with no basis for human compassion. Also, Duo always did enjoy a good gossip every now and then.

Duo hummed back in his throat a moment, trying to recall bits of things that had occurred years ago. He looked over at his laptop, could probably find out everything that he wanted if he got up and used it right then. However, there wasn't much in the world that could make Heero get up from Duo's side at the moment.

He turned his attention back to the violet eyes, their sheen bright even in the dark, that were next to him. "They were involved with something to do with smuggling; nothing could ever be proven though."

"Huh," said Duo, folding his arms behind his head. "That is interesting, now isn't it?"

"Hn," Heero agreed.

"Well, my eyes aren't staying open much longer," Duo smiled over at Heero, a yawn struggling through to make his point.

"Go to sleep, baka," Heero said, returning a small smile of his own. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, stretching slightly before trying to rise and make his way the five feet of distance to his own bed.

"Hey," Duo said, putting his hand on Heero's forearm. "Why don't you just stay here?"

Heero didn't reply in words, just lay back down, snatched a chaste kiss, and settled in to get comfortable.

X-_X-_X

Relena curled a lock of hair around her finger as she paused in her morning ritual. Her mind kept sorting back to the things that Treize had spoken to her. He didn't tell her many _things_ per ce, but he had offered her an undeniable logic.

He had explained to her how Heero was most likely going through a phase of disruption. He had to be confused at the drastic academic change, just like many of the other students were. Especially looking at his friends, who would really choose to align themselves with such an outcast group? Didn't everyone seek to be part of the flock, not the one that trailed behind? And perhaps, Relena felt confused about these things as well; wouldn't she feel so much more comfortable if she could talk to someone every now and then? How about, he himself? Treize Kushrenada would lend his ear to anyone that needed it.

She wouldn't give up on Heero Yuy, she would make him part of the flock again, and she would let Treize Kushrenada help her accomplish that.

X-_X-_X

"I'm glad you don't mind spending morning break sorting this out," said Zechs. He and Wufei were making there way cross campus to the housing office, so that they could change their assignment. Treize hadn't returned to the dorm last night, and they hadn't seen him before classes either. It was odd, but they put it out of mind as good luck.

"It's not anything big," said Wufei. He adjusted his bag on his back, quickly running through a list of his daily assignments. He normally organized his work during morning break.

"Still," Zechs said "Thank you."

"You should probably be thanking Noin," Wufei said, finally looking over at the other man and away from his own thoughts. "She's the one that had the idea."

"Mm," Zechs said shrugging "Maybe."

They turned off the path to climb a small hill that would take them right to the front of the administrative building. It was a nice enough day out, the fall was coming quick and hard though, and everyone was wearing jackets of some kind and tilting their head against the wind.

"You and Noin have an intense relationship," Wufei said after a moment. It was an observation that had been bothering him for some time, even though he wasn't quite sure why. He and Zechs had seemingly discussed everything under the sun last night, but Noin had not been one of those things.

Zechs thought on the statement for awhile "What do you mean?" he finally asked, winded slightly as they continued to climb the hill. His furrowed brow was more from confusion over the statement than the climb.

"You're just very…close," Wufei was beginning to feel ridiculous for bringing the subject up "Almost like two halves of the same circle."

Wufei was surprised when Zechs chuckled openly "Yes, well Noin and I have known each other for some time, like I told you. We actually went to primary school together."

"Oh," Wufei tried to insert some sort of polite inflection into his tone.

"Yeah," said Zechs, stuffing his hands back in his pockets and away from the cold not that they were atop the hill.

"I," Wufei started and then stopped, horrified. It was too late though, Zechs was looking at him in curiosity. He cleared his throat. "I'd rather enjoy a friendship like you two have, all that connection that comes off you two."

"You don't have that with your friends?" asked Zechs.

"Ah," replied Wufei "We're very close, just not _that_ close." Good going, Chang, he scolded himself in his head. Very intelligent response, your family would be _so_ proud.

Zechs paused a moment and then grinned "Wufei," he said "I think I wouldn't mind that sort of friendship with you," his eyes dipped some to look into Wufei's "I think I'd like to be closer to you than I ever have been to Noin."

Wufei thought he might choke on his own air intake.

"Want to go into town Friday?" asked Zechs, grinning slightly and moving towards the building "There's thing jazz band in at a coffee house if you're interested."

Wufei followed Zechs through the door with a dry mouth and sweaty palms. "That sounds great, Zechs."

X-_X-_X

Duo looked at Quatre for what was probably the ninth time that minute. The blond hair Arabian boy kept opening his mouth as if he were going to say something to Duo, then closing it abruptly, then fidgeting and pulling up grass, and then starting all over again. Duo was a little surprised. Quatre Winner was not normally one who found himself short on words.

They were the first two at lunch, and Quatre had elected to take a seat next to Duo at the base instead of climbing up the branches to wait for his boyfriend. There were still a few minutes until lunch officially started; Duo figured they were lucky enough to have gotten out of their classes a little earlier than normal.

He watched Quatre repeat the process yet again before he rolled his eyes and opened his mouth "Quat, what the hell is wrong with you today?"

Quatre actually jumped in surprise, causing Duo to grin in amusement. So he thought he wasn't being obvious?

"It's nothing," began Quatre, and then he stopped "No, it's silly."

"Am I going to have to beg?" asked Duo lazily.

Quatre started fidgeting again, and Duo's interest spiked up a few more notches. What was with Quatre?

Quatre leaned in closer to Duo and dropped his voice "It's about Trowa and I."

Duo eyebrows flew up to meet his hairline "What's going on? You two O.K?"

"Yes!" said Quatre immediately. He shifted his eyes to Duo's and away again. "This really is silly but I feel like I'm about to burst if I don't say anything."

"O.K." said Duo slowly.

"Trowa and I are…better than O.K." Quatre said his tone was implying that Duo was supposed to gain something meaningful from the statement.

"Uh huh," said Duo, using the same tone back and beginning to wonder if Quatre was feeling particularly well that day

Quatre gave a blushing grunt of frustration and then leaned in again "Trowa and I are very _close_."

It, honest to God, still took Duo another minute, and then the truth hit him like a freighter. His eyes went wide "You mean…oh!"

"Duo, stop!" Quatre said, trying to wave away Duo's raucous laughter, looking around anxiously. Quatre felt his face flame scarlet; he should have kept his mouth shut.

"Well shit, Quat," he said, wiping a tear away, still chuckling. "I just assumed you already were."

"You did?" asked Quatre, getting redder if it were possible.

Duo didn't answer just started laughing again.

"Maxwell, are you terrorizing my boyfriend," came Trowa's normally subdued tone. He was approaching them from the quad entrance, Wufei not far behind. Trowa swooped down and kissed Quatre on the cheek before climbing up the birch.

"Not at all," said Duo still chuckling "Not at _all_."

He was still suppressing his amusement when Heero arrived a couple minutes later. Quatre pressed to them all that it was nothing, and that perhaps Duo had finally gone around the bend.

**X-_X-_X**

**Please review and let me know what you think, I think I'm drifting out of character on Wufei and Zechs, but I'm having trouble wrangling them back in. I hope you enjoyed the update. This story gets a lot of alerts put on it but surprisingly little reviews. Thanks for reading!**

**-AnimeSiren**


	9. Chapter 9

**Elitist Theory**

**Chapter Nine**

_Enjoy_

**X-_X-_X**

"Did you try to enter?" Trowa asked in his usual quiet manner as he and Heero stopped in front of the dorm's large double doors.

Heero looked at the doors, the multi-colored poster adorning them the object of his interest not the cedar objects themselves. The wind swept his bangs aside and he kicked an autumn leaf off his uniform loafers before answering. "Slots are full."

"Mm," agreed Trowa, crossing his arms, his full shoulder bad bumping against a hip. "That's what they said when I tried to enroll too."

The annual fall fencing tournament was a highlight of St. Gabriel's social engagements. It took place just before the Thanksgiving break, and pitted the best of the school's fencers against one another. It also drew many of the financially well-endowed parents to the school for the day and talent scouts as well.

However it looked like neither of them would be participating that semester.

"Oh well," murmured Trowa, pushing through the doors and into their dorm building.

"Hn," Heero agreed, following.

X-_X-_X

Treize sighed into his tea happily as he noticed a familiar curly haired brunette approach. He smiled up at the sun briefly, and wished that he had some bird calls to form ambience for his victory.

"Otto," Treize greeted the man smugly.

"Kushrenada," the other man spat. He threw a folder onto Treize's table, nearly dislodging the tea cup that sat there.

Treize very simply picked up the folder, scoffing at the stereotypical manila color, and opened it nonchalantly. Otto stood across from him, eyeing the man's sneering visage with disdain.

Treize felt his breath stop. His eyes widened and he didn't even notice as the tea cup he thrust away sloshed over its rim and onto the ceramic topped table he was seated at.

"Oh, Otto," said Treize, a malicious chuckle working its way forward. "You've done very well."

Otto rolled his eyes. "Yeah, it was such a great honor."

"I expect it was," Treize responded with seriousness. He closed the folder and kept a protective hand atop it.

"You know," said Otto, gritting his teeth "I like Zechs a hell of a lot more than I like you."

Treize's eyes narrowed, but other than that his hedonistically happy façade didn't change. "Is that so?"

"Yeah," Otto blustered "For your entire supposed honor, he's a much better man than you; I hope he succeeds in getting away from you."

Otto saw Treize's back stiffen, and stifled a smirk of his own. If there was one thing Treize Kushrenada couldn't handle it was losing some of his control over others.

"We're done," Otto iterated "I've paid back the favor."

"Yes, fine," Treize snarled out gutturally "You're dismissed."

"Why thanks so much," Otto said back sarcastically, giving the other man a fake bow and stalking out of the room in a few bounds.

Treize watched Otto's figure disappear out of the door, sniffing at the peasant attitude that the man demonstrated. However he looked back down at the folder underneath his hand and felt a wicked smile spread across his face once more.

"It seems we have a player for the game now," he murmured to himself. He ran a cloth napkin around the base of his tea saucer and then sat back in his gilded chair.

He imagined the triumphant sound of nature behind him and looked back up at the glass roof.

"_Posession_," he said gleefully, his voice rising "Posession!"

X-_X-_X

History of Debate was a class that boasted excellence and nurturing of political spirit in its summary, but as every student taking it soon found out it was nothing more than a half historical lecture aimed at perpetuating a conservative attitude. Heero detested the class.

However Heero may have detested the class but he was one of the only two students who were still taking notes the last few moments left to the class. Unfortunately the only other studious pupil in the room was Relena Peacecraft, less than twenty feel away from him.

Heero's eyes drifted lazily across the room before securing themselves back on the instructor, who was preaching the benefits of corporate debate. Most of the other students were doing other work, right under the oblivious nose of the teacher, or simple sitting and wiling away their time as best they could.

"What about in terms of Human Resources?" Heero nearly jumped at the sounds of the bell like voice. Relena had her arm in the air and the proud gaze of the teacher. He missed the instructor's reply, letting his pen drop atop his notebook and sitting back to rub a tired hand across his face.

It was times like these he wished Duo were there to liven up the atmosphere. He would no doubt have some sort of highly entertaining scheme for this class and its monotony.

However Duo wasn't there and Heero had to face the fact that he still had little over three minutes left to the class before he could escape out to his next.

His eyes swept themselves over his carefully detailed notes, but even after rubbing a casual hand across his eyes they didn't make much sense to him. Or rather, perhaps, it was simply his own mind protesting against the dull work, either way; he'd have to restudy the current section before the next quiz.

The following two minutes were whiled away as he mentally planned his free time for later that day. There was only a single common factor in between all the plans: Duo Maxwell. Heero felt fairly confident that as the other boy was his roommate he'd be able to spend just as much time with the boy as he planned on.

As soon as the bell rang the majority of the other students hurried from the room, having partaken in the usual student ritual of slowly packing up just a few moments before the class actually ended. Heero stood and moved to stow his own notebook away in his bag but a lace cladded hand rested itself on his own, stopping him.

When he followed the offending appendage up to its owners face he was unsurprised to see the honeyed smile of Relena Peacecraft staring him back. He _nearly_ sighed.

Instead of inquiring to her needs in a civil manner he grunted once and waited for her to speak, letting her know with his facial expression that he was only being passably civil.

"I was just wondering how you've been," she said, continuing to smile. It didn't quite reach her eyes however; they remained alert and imploring the entire time.

"I've been fine," Heero surrendered to her, sounding the slightest bit exasperated, he then paused and in a slightly more polite tone said "You?"

"Quite well, actually," Relena beamed. Her hand hesitantly lifted from Heero and he moved to drop his notebook in his bag without taking his eyes off her.

Relena didn't give him pause to reply with the normal sort of polite drivel, not that he would have, but she continued on. "I have heard through many agreeing sources that you excelled quite well at the fencing symposium. Did you enter the tournament?"

Heero's brow furrowed, his short conversation with Trowa from that morning coming back to him. He shrugged at her "The slots were already filled."

Relena made a noise of discontent and then clasped her hands together, turning to eye something behind her.

Heero took the opportunity to grab up his bag and push his chair in, moving to dismiss the conversation by attempting to pass her. The soft pressure of her smaller hand against his chest stopped him.

Heero stopped, but it was probably only to satiate his own curiosity about the fact that this was the first time Relena Peacecraft had ever dared to touch him.

"I think I have a solution," she said softly, the skirt of her uniform swished slightly as she turned. "Andrew?" she called to the near empty room.

A blond haired boy snapped to attention, turning to look at Relena immediately. His gaze travelled up and down her appreciatively before hurrying over to stand at her side. He had a confident grin, and Heero knew his name from a few classes. He conceded that at least this student was similar to Relena, while being confident he was far from arrogant, and was genuinely studious as was Relena.

"Yes?" he proffered gallantly as he came to a stop by her side.

"Andrew," she said again, her soft tranquil tone bordering on a gush "Heero here, you've met Heero before, yes? Well, he wanted to enter the fencing tournament."

Andrew eyed Heero suspiciously, or rather the firm hand that Relena still had placed against Heero's chest, barring his from moving along the row further. It seemed he didn't like the contact very well.

"Well," he said after a moment "The slots have been filled."

Heero stared at the two of them, not quite understanding Relena's motivations in the conversation. He didn't need her to find a solution to anything, and he didn't care about the fencing tournament as much as she seemed to think. It would have been a nice extracurricular, but he could think of other ways to spend his time quite easily.

"But I thought Dorothy had to back out just this morning?" Relena inquired in a tone that suggested she already knew her sentence to be factual. She eyed Andrew with a firm glance.

"Ah," said Andrew. He paused, his lips curving distastefully "I guess that is true," he turned to nod his head at Heero in an insincere manner "Must have slipped my mind."

"Must have," agreed Heero dryly.

"Relena," Heero said, turning to her "I have a class to get to."

"Of course, Heero," she said, moving her hand "Don't let us keep you."

Heero raised an eyebrow and tightened his grasp on his bag, but before he could take two steps away from them Relena intoned another statement hurriedly.

"And don't worry about the fencing tournament, I'll take care of your entrance form," Heero turned. She was _smiling_.

"That's quite alright—," he started to protest.

"Nonsense," Relena waved it off without another word. '_Treize was right,'_ she thought '_I simply need to introduce Heero in the school society, I'm certain he'll feel much more comfortable after a while.'_

"Alright," Heero muttered to himself, throwing a last glance at the two of them before making his way down the rest of the row.

He shook his head as he stepped out in the dwindling hallway; he wasn't going to be able to take much more of these diplomats at this rate.

X-_X-_X

Wufei felt utterly discontented "It's not right."

He more felt than heard Zechs sigh next to him in agreement. "You'd think there'd be alternate coordination."

Wufei shrugged and tossed his keys onto the kitchen table as he shut the door to their suite behind them. To say that the afternoon had been dissatisfying would be quite the understatement, not a single thing had sought to go their way. They had been challenged at every turn.

Zechs looked wearily around the suite, quite obviously checking to see if their lately surly roommate was around. He was not.

They'd gone to Housing and Residential Life that day; they had scheduled an afternoon appointment to inquire about changing their rooming assignment. Arriving was probably their first indication that not all was going to go according to plan. Their appointment had been double booked, making them wait an additional half hour, then their Residential Counselor had been unable to access their file for some time. Then, at the pinnacle of frustration, he informed them that he would be unable to move them to a new rooming assignment until after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Wufei huffed and tossed his bag against his chair's legs before tossing himself in it. "They could have attempted to be more accommodating."

Zechs took a seat on the couch, running a half distracted hand through his long mane, Wufei's eyes following him all the while. "I don't know," he murmured "It might not be within their range of abilities to be actually considerate."

Wufei snorted.

"Perseverance will no doubt be our greatest ally for the next month and a half." Zechs rubbed his chin. He halfheartedly noted to himself that he forgot to shave that morning.

"Look at it this way," said Wufei "Another month and a half and you never have to see Treize Kushrenada again."

Zechs paused a moment before sliding to rest in a more comfortable position on the couch. "That may not be entirely true."

"Why not?" asked Wufei, honestly surprised "I would have thought that once you graduate if would surely be easy to avoid the man."

"I was accepted," Zechs' tone was muffled "Into the Romefeller Foundation College of Medicine."

"That's amazing," Wufei's eyes went wide "That's the most prestigious school for medicine!"

"It's also where Treize intends to go."

Wufei's wide smile soured instantly. "You must have intended to go together?"

"Foolishly, yes."

Wufei struggled for a moment. He couldn't imagine Zechs' predicament, with his ridged sense of obligation he never would have banked higher education on a place that his love interest was attending. He couldn't imagine Zechs not being genuinely happy to get into Romefeller based on its merits.

"Well," he said finally "It's not still too late to apply elsewhere."

Zechs' eyes shifted away "I have applied to another institution."

Wufei waited, and then let out an impatient sigh when Zechs didn't offer anything further. "Well?" he asked, one slender Asian brow raised "Which one?"

"The Epyon Academy," Zechs sounded strangely defeated.

Wufei attempted not to show his genuine surprise, but when Zechs offered a wry chuckle he knew he hadn't been successful.

"Yes," Zechs admitted "Quite less prestigious. My parents will be thoroughly galled."

Wufei distracted himself by asking a different question than the one that was blaring scalding on his mind "You _want_ to get back into your parents good graces?"

Zechs snorted, quite undignified. "Not particularly."

"Then why care?"

"I guess I don't."

It was a few more minutes before they spoke again. Wufei rose and got a drink, and was nearly hip deep in physics work before sound permeated the air again. He had returned to the couch to do his work, as opposed to the arm chair that he had been in before, and he didn't really notice when Zechs shifted subtly closer.

"The Epyon Academy," Zechs started softly, a very electric tone of near excitement in his voice "Teaches natural medicine as a degree."

Wufei's eyes had to stare at the white walls to shake the physics equations from his mind before he could answer Zechs. "Natural medicine?" Wufei thought it sounded like a witch doctor dancing around a hot fire.

It must have showed on his face.

"Nothing bizarre," Zechs said "I assure you. It's medicine that is removed from the beaurocratic multi-billion dollar industry of today's medicine."

"How can it remove itself?" Wufei asked, not bothering with the politeness of an acquaintance. He used skepticism, as a friend would.

"It focuses on doctor patient relationship, on organic medicines, and on what nature based methods a patient can focus on during outpatient procedures."

"Hm," grunted Wufei. Well if that was what Zechs wanted to study he could go ahead and study that, Wufei would stick with physics.

"It's not a great school," Zechs murmured "But it's a good school."

Wufei felt a chill creep up his back. He turned to Zechs. "Zechs," he said, serious "Do you want to go to The Epyon Academy?"

Zechs had the chance to deflect the question, and he had the ability to not look into Wufei's coal burning orbs. However in the face of the Asian man who had become such an important friend to him he had the will to do neither.

"Yes."

"Then don't let Treize, your parents, or hellfire stand in your way."

X-_X-_X

"Someone dropped this for you," Duo distractedly shoved a thick paper packet into Heero's arms the minute he walked through their dorm door. Duo was a torrent of activity, he hadn't changed from his uniform yet, and his hair was near to forming a chestnut halo around his face, which sweat clung to. He looked the same he had during the entirety of the three minutes he had been present at dinner.

Heero held the package up with one hand, there wasn't writing on either side, but it was thick and the envelope it was stuffed into was a school mail room one. Heero glanced away from the envelope to put his bag down and turn to Duo "Going to clue me in on why you've decided to impersonate anxiety itself this afternoon?"

As far as Heero could tell Duo wasn't even doing anything productive. He was turning from one end of the room to the other, rearranging books, organizing papers, and going so far as to smooth the cover on his bed. Not typical Duo activity.

Duo paused when Heero spoke, clapping his hands together and watching Heero as if he were trying to figure something out.

Heero sighed and turned away, shaking his head. The chestnut haired boy may now be his boyfriend (at least he thought he was…they still hadn't told their friends) but that didn't mean that he had the ability to understand the moods, thoughts, or emotions that the boy went through on a daily basis.

He stacked one book on his desk, then another, and even managed to turn his bag upside down looking for a pen before Duo managed to force his vocal cords.

"I think I'm being watched."

'_Yeah_,' Heero thought to himself '_I_ _don't understand him whatsoever.'_

"I see," Heero managed to say aloud, waiting for Duo to elaborate, which he did after yet another jittery moment.

"All day, 'Ro," Duo said, moving his weight from one foot and then the other "I'm sure someone's been watching me, and it's not the usual 'Oh dear, there's that street rat' it's something else."

Heero furrowed his brow. Duo may take the littlest things to an extreme, but being so convinced that he was being watched that he was tangibly nervous did not seem to be one of Duo's usual extremes.

"Heero," Duo stepped closer "It's intense."

"Why would someone want to watch you?" asked Heero. First step: motive.

"How the hell would I know?" Duo's voice moved fast but his body began to slow down. It seemed being near to Heero and his logic was a useful stress relief.

"Piss anyone off?" hinted Heero. He shrugged off his blazer and hung it over his desk chair.

"You mean beside the school's population in general?" snorted Duo. "It's freaky, 'Ro, and when I say _all_ day I mean _all_ day."

When Heero tugged his tie off and sat down on his bed to take his loafer's off as well Duo sat next to him. When Heero turned to look at Duo he caught the violet eyes, and the begging question behind them.

"I don't know, Duo," Heero admitted, which was the truth. There was no logical reason that anyone would decide to tail Duo. The boy emitted a since of come hither friendship, and anyone that didn't want to approach Duo for information probably didn't even know who Duo was.

Duo sighed and flung himself backwards on Heero's bed. "Neither do I. Fancy that."

Heero turned and twisted his body up against Duo's, brushing a hedonistic hand through his bangs. "I'll protect you."

Duo snorted and sat up from the bed, strutting over to his side of the room. "The day I'm a freaking damsel in distress is the day I eat my braid."

Heero chuckled to himself and let out a half contented puff of air. Duo not anxious and smiling? Mission accomplished.

"Hey, Yuy," Duo said, rising from the floor and picking a clump of dust and hair of a small pack "Want to learn how to play strip poker?"

Duo relaxed and their night planned was always an accomplishment, but it still didn't answer the question of the day.

Who was tailing Duo?

X-_X-_X

Trowa repositioned his easel as he tried to maneuver both his supplies and his equipment across the wide art room. After dinner was the best time to do personal studying in the Art Class room, there were rarely any students, and when one did come in it was never expected of Trowa to make conversation.

He hadn't been to the room in a few days; he'd been spending more and more time with Quatre. However there did come a point where it was necessary that Trowa purge Quatre's smiles and round eyed looks from his mind and remember a point in time where more than just his happiness remained.

Trowa came to the art room to remember pain, or depression, or anxiety. It was what he did.

However before he could even settle himself properly onto his stool the creaky wooden double doors of the art room cranked themselves open and submitted another student to its midst.

"Zechs?" Trowa's surprise startled his voice out of him and he looked at the other, older student in observational surprise.

"Trowa Barton," Zechs conjured a smile up onto his aristocratic face. "I thought I'd find you here."

_**X-_X-_X**_

_**I do apologize for the lengthy space of time in between updates. Who knew that summer would actually be a slower update time? Not I, that's for sure.**_

_**I went back and edited every chapter of this fanfiction before this one, so little mistakes should now be corrected, and maybe a few better lines added. I realized that when I first set out with this fic I had aspirations for it, and I was letting them down. I also realized that this didn't have to be a supremely serious story, I can play with it. So I've decided to.**_

_**Thanks so much for reading! Hopefully you drop me a line and let me know what you think!**_

_**-AnimeSiren**_


	10. Chapter 10

**Elitist Theory**

**Chapter Ten**

_Enjoy_

**X-_X-_X**

"You thought you'd find me here?" asked Trowa dryly. He lowered his sketching coal and stared at the silver haired man guilelessly. The door closed with a sharp snap behind Zechs.

"Yes," Zechs replied simply. He moved to the other side of the room, his long strides both reminiscent of nobility and the large cats Trowa worked with during the summer at the circus he employed himself part time at.

"I'm sure your intentions were the best," Trowa murmured under his breath, shaking his head slightly. He returned an eye to the easel in front of him, but couldn't help but keep an eye on Zechs' movements as well.

He was rummaging through one of the photography stations, seemingly without a care. He certainly didn't act like he had come there for the express purpose of speaking with Trowa. In fact, Zechs didn't even look at him as he did so.

Trowa narrowed his eyes, returning both of them to his work, and then very specifically began to sketch hard, dark lines vertically across his canvas. He was very determined to not let the older student deter him from his purpose.

Throughout the next few moments Trowa continued to sketch his outline, and Zechs continued to flit about the room, apparently meaninglessly.

Although, he did have a purpose.

"Wufei is a very studious man," Zechs muttered out into the openness of the art room.

Trowa paused in his stroke. "Seriously?" he muttered to himself. Reminding himself that this was a time that Quatre would be kind and polite in, Trowa attempted to do the same.

"Yeah, he is."

"Do you think he prefers a more…solitary approach to academics?" Zechs air was nonchalant, but Trowa was willing to bet all his meager possessions that it was nothing but a façade.

Trowa's green eyes flicked over to Zechs thoughtfully. He made a small humming noise as a different theory formed in his mind. "You're asking if he's a guy that wants to approach _academics_ alone?"

"Yes," Zechs reiterated "_Academics_."

Trowa laid down his coal pencil, smug. He crossed his arms and leaned somewhat to the right so that he could see Zechs' form better. "Wufei prefers to be alone."

One of Zechs shoulders slumped downwards, and his fiddling with the camera in his arms ceased.

Trowa continued "However that doesn't mean he likes being alone."

Zechs met his gaze.

"Wufei thinks that he needs no distractions, that he needs no interruptions or obligations," Trowa said "However, Wufei wants to allow himself a distraction."

"A distraction from academics?" asked Zechs.

"Yes, of course," Trowa replied, arching one brow "Because we are talking about _academics_ after all, we couldn't be talking about anything else."

"Do you think Wufei would allow himself a distraction?" Zechs bypassed Trowa's blatant tease about their subject, already knowing that Zechs wasn't inquiring simply as a classmate, or as a study partner, but as something much more.

"A distraction? No," Trowa replied with a shrug of his own.

Zechs' blue eyes narrowed on the form of the lithe boy across the room. It seemed he was content to jerk him around.

Trowa grinned "Wufei wants much more than a distraction. He just has to let himself."

Zechs looked down at the camera in his hands, extracting the film in one swift movement. The dim lighting of the room wouldn't affect it in the slightest. "You're a coy man, Barton."

"And you're a fool, Marquise."

Zechs couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. He turned and went into the adjoining black room, his film gripped loosely in his hand.

Trowa picked up his coal again, surprising himself when he felt a chuckle rumble its way from his throat. "Wufei, you're in for a surprise my friend."

Trowa eyed a burgundy paint he had mixed, and then continued sketching with a renewed vigor. It would fit together perfectly.

X-_X-_X

"How were classes, Quatre?" Quatre turned at the sound of Relena's dulcet tones, and smiled back at her politely.

"Stress free, thank Allah," he replied, laughing politely with her as she did so. Relena had never stuck him as a superfluously frivolous girl, as she did many of his other friends. He found her level headed, in most cases wise, though he was among the first to admit that she had a single minded determined streak about her.

It would be a great help in politics, not so much in institutional learning.

When Quatre returned her question and received her answer they both sat at the conference table in the middle of the room. The Student Government Association was a great group to be a member of, and Quatre was wholly glad that he had made it in the beginning of the year. It certainly served to soften over some of the other concerns of school with his father.

"Maybe we can finally settle the curfew argument," Relena whispered to him as things quieted down. She rolled her eyes at the problem that had yet to be taken care of, even weeks after its emergence.

Quatre returned her sentiment with his eyes, rolling them in turn when their long winded President stood to call the meeting to order.

"On the ninth of October we're beginning the meeting with an agenda of…"

Quatre's attention remained on the President as he summarized their agenda for the day, and then had their Secretary, Relena, summarize the last meetings progress, however his focus wandered. There were fourteen students in total. Of those fourteen there was an even split between students who self-proclaimed themselves conservative, and those that self-proclaimed themselves liberal.

Relena and Quatre were the youngest students there, the rest were in grades above them; however it wasn't surprising when Relena had secured her position. The President was a conservative student, but interestingly bipartisan when it came to most matters. However he did have the fault of being easily swayed.

He studied the students across from him with only mild interest, waiting for the meeting to really start. Across from him was the star couple of the school August Septum and Dorothy Catalonia. They were a striking pair, but conservative and cunning to the bone. They were seemingly always at odds with Quatre.

"First we'll discuss the problem with the curfew," The President, Trant, finally finished his opening remarks. However it wasn't like the first order of business was a startling one. It had been the opening of every one of their meetings since the second week of school.

A third year further down the table opened his mouth and leaned forward to speak however Dorothy Catalonia cut him off with one smooth movement. "I thought we had an excellent solution prepared last meeting."

Trant nodded, straightening the unnecessary tie that he always wore to their meetings "You wanted to solve the issue by having the campus wide curfew be set at nine o'clock for all years?"

"Yes," Dorothy was anything but the demure image she presented, her smile was more dangerous than a shark's.

"Upper classmen are more inclined to have duties necessitating a later hour," Relena protested smoothly from across the table. "A fair number have jobs off campus."

Quatre was in agreement "A ten o'clock curfew for residence halls and an eleven o'clock curfew for the school grounds to be locked down seem reasonable. In this students that have employment off campus can obtain further permission to be out past the ten o'clock mark to the eleven o'clock mark."

"You're support of menial employment is admirable," Dorothy said dryly, and sarcastically. Trant eyed her once. "However the majority of the students at this institution have no need for employment, no need to traipse about town after hours. It presents a bad image for this school."

"Dorothy," Relena said "The school's image is not the issue;" Relena looked down the rest of the table smiling fetchingly "We need only agree on the hour of curfew."

Quatre's gaze had gone icy during Dorothy's statement. He wasn't quite as adept at looking over slights as Relena was "The majority of this school is not the entirety of this school, Miss. Catalonia."

Dorothy's falsified smile widened at Quatre's still and cold tone, however she simply listened to him continue "We must do what is best for _all_ students."

"Of course," she agreed softly. Quatre didn't believe her.

"Quatre's plan is strategic and logical," Relena sat forward on her seat, obviously anxious about finally putting the issue behind them.

"Your loyalty to your fellow students is most commendable, Relena," August Septum interrupted from across the table. The President remained silent, waiting for the majority ruling.

When he said no more Relena inclined her head politely. However Dorothy's bright eyes turned to Quatre once more. "As is Quatre's," she said softly. However her voice was heard by all the students, and she had the faithful popularity of the school to back her confidence. "We all know where he lays."

Her innuendo was obvious. When Quatre's hand stilled on the top of the table, his mind whipping with the possibilities of rebuke, she spoke again.

"Where his loyalty lies, of course, is what I mean."

Quatre wasn't the only student to doubt that. He heard Trant cough lightly.

Relena cut of the exchange. "President Trant, if we can put this to a vote finally?"

Trant nodded, said the necessary lines to make the vote official according to the Student Government bylaws, and then cast the vote. Dorothy, August, and two other students were the only ones to oppose his plan, however the good news and victory did nothing to allay the heavy feeling in the pit of his stomach.

As the other students congratulated themselves, and exchanged words of joy at the matter being finally put to rest Quatre and Dorothy didn't stop staring at one another. Quatre's bangs fell forward in his face, and he lost his diplomatic façade when he let a grimace of ill will show on his face.

Finally Dorothy laughed, the sound getting lost in the din of the surrounding students, and turned her attention elsewhere.

X-_X-_X

"It was freaky, I'm telling you," Duo assured Trowa, taking an overzealous bite into the pizza he had brought into the courtyard with him "Like I had eyes on me all day."

Trowa made a noise of understanding for a moment, his eyes creasing just the slightest. "Who would want to watch you though?"

Duo rolled his eyes "That's what 'Ro said," he shook his head exasperatedly "Does no one understand the captivation that my ultimate good looks have over this school or what?"

Heero snorted and tugged on Duo's braid, getting the boy to turn towards him. "I don't doubt that," he quipped, softly so that the other two boys couldn't hear him, louder he added "It could mean trouble though."

"Like I can't handle some preps with a stalking problem," Duo evaded the worry.

Trowa looked to Quatre, who was seated next to him on Trowa's usual branch. Quatre smiled at him, intertwining their hands easily, however his focus and his worry was centered on Duo.

"Did you feel like that today as well?"

"Nah," Duo said, coming out mumbled with the mouthful of pizza he was speaking through. "We should actually celebrate that."

Heero thought he knew a few ways they could celebrate. When Duo smiled at him Heero knew the look in his eyes belied his thoughts. "Jesus," muttered Duo, a wide grin across his face "I've made a monster."

"You have," agreed Heero.

Duo used the cool fall air as an excuse to move steadily closer to Heero as he finished his pizza. Finally he ended up pressed up against Heero's larger shoulder, head back against the bark, and in Heero's opinion his delectably creamy throat bared to the world.

"Hey, Quat?" Duo rolled his eyes up towards the boys that were seated above them and waited until he had the attention of the blond before he continued "You on some sort of special project today or something?"

"No," Quatre responded, puzzled "Why?"

"You've been quiet."

Quatre shifted uncomfortably at the scrutiny that was directed to him from the other two after Heero's statement, avoiding Trowa's eyes most of all. "Just preoccupied with Student Government is all."

"Yeah?" Duo lost interest for a moment before remembering a tidbit that Quatre had spoken about the group earlier in the week. "How'd that meeting go yesterday? You get that curfew thing settled?"

Quatre nodded "Ten o'clock, eleven for students that gain permission to be off campus for employment reasons."

"Awesome!" exclaimed Duo, leaning forward. He looked over at Heero. "I can finally take that job at Antonio's that he's been offering me."

As much as Heero wanted to be glad for Duo and his luck in the matter…Heero had met Antonio, and he was fairly certain that he wasn't just offering him a part time job because he was an old friend. If Heero had to wipe the leer off the other boy's face where Duo was concerned he was confident he would.

"We should get something good for dinner tonight to celebrate," Duo suggested "Skip out of the cafeteria and go to town."

"Really, Duo?" asked Quatre "How can you think of food after you just ate?"

Trowa grinned "I think that's all he can think of actually."

"Hey!"

"Don't be ashamed at your shortcomings," mocked Heero lightly "We embrace them."

"Oh, 'Ro," Duo gained a positively wicked look on his face as he rebuked Heero's statement "That's a low blow."

Heero arched an un-intimidated brow.

"You better watch your back, buddy," Duo said crossing his arms and 'hmph'-ing. "I'll get you back when you least expect it."

Heero leaned over to whisper a smart remark into Duo's ear, the other boy spluttering and, as much as he was unwilling to admit it, blushing the next moment.

Duo was saved from telling Heero exactly what his whispered comment was good for the next moment as their previously missing friend arrived.

"Hi, Wuffers," Duo said at the same time that Heero greeted "Hey, 'Fei."

Wufei nodded to Heero, sending a half concocted glare to Duo, and sat himself at the base of the tree, extracting an apple from his bag and biting into it without further comment. Oddly enough by the look on his face his silence wasn't due to frustration or stress, it seemed that Wufei was basking in a peaceful happiness of his own.

"Where were you?" asked Duo "Getting some extra credit with Mrs. Morosely?"

Wufei ignored the leering quip. "I ran into Zechs in the hall, we chatted for a moment."

"What's sexy Zechsy want?" Duo asked. Heero snorted from his other side.

"He does pop up everywhere doesn't he?" Trowa said at the same time.

Wufei only looked slightly inquisitively at Trowa before answering Duo's question. "Nothing of importance, he just inquired after my morning classes."

"Hear that?" Duo asked Heero, turning and intoning his words with specific innuendo and widening his eyes. "Zechs wanted to know how Wufei's morning classes went."

Heero didn't have a response, just leaned around Duo to ask Wufei a question about the other boy's rooming situation. Duo leaned back against the tree to give Heero more room, grinning at Heero's flippancy towards his comment. He laughed slightly, catching Heero's eye when the other boy smiled in turn, and looked up at the cloudy fall sky.

X-_X-_X

"Didn't think you'd be one to practice with the others," Trowa's voice was quick to find Heero as the green eyed teen caught up to him. Trowa headed out of the gymnasium only moments after the Heero.

"Hn," Heero said, choosing what he wanted to say in response. "I think it's best to let them see what they tried to keep out."

"So you do think it was intentional?" Trowa confirmed grimly "The slots weren't actually full when we tried to apply."

"I figured you already knew that, Trowa," Heero replied, he gripped his own foil, the dulled tip hitting against his calf lightly. It was the same type that they'd have to use during the tournament.

"I did," Trowa admitted. "I went to the faculty organizer instead of one of the student ones, they were curious as to why I thought all the slots had already been filled.

Heero nodded his head "Relena did seem to be able to make a spot quickly, it makes sense that they weren't full to begin with."

Trowa trotted slightly to keep up with Heero's long stride as they headed across the grassy mall to the school's fencing auditorium "Another perk of being an outcast at St. Gabriel's."

Heero didn't bother to reply, his agreement in the issue was not contestable.

The light was dim, the fencing auditorium was open to the tournament participants only the break between classes and dinner, so they only had the haphazard afternoon light to work with, much less preferable to the zenith of sunlight they'd have the Saturday of the tournament.

However, even in fading afternoon light Heero should have figured that Relena would have been able to spot him wherever he went.

"Heero!" Relena said by way of greeting, he figured it was predictable that she'd be there, as she was one of the student organizers "I'm glad I caught you before you got to the auditorium."

Heero's head whipped around to look at her, honestly not having heard her approach. Trowa looked incredulously back at the girl, slowing his steps as Heero's slowed as well. Heero spotted Andrew watching Relena, and obviously waiting for her further along the mall's expanse.

"Why's that?" Heero asked, directly and to the point.

"Well," Relena's voice sang the word out, drawing the syllable along. "I wanted to introduce you to a few people."

Heero looked at Trowa, his face a rough brow of unimpressed incredulity. Heero warily turned back to Relena, however he didn't say anything, hoping his silence was a stern enough 'no'.

Relena didn't take it as such "Great!" she clapped her hands together, and then took a quick step forward, moving to tug Heero after her "See you later, Trowa!"

Trowa thought it was rather forward of her to speak to him so familiarly, considering he may have spoken to the girl a grand total of two times, probably in the class setting when it required it of him. However he just watched her pull Heero to the field hearing her mention to him "People you _should_ be introduced to."

He felt uneasy, and suspicious, but Trowa couldn't do anything else besides follow them, hoping that this wasn't a sign of foreboding.

X-_X-_X

Duo slamming the door, just a couple minutes after ten that night startled Heero into a sitting position on his bed. He had been waiting for the other boy, but had slipped into a lackadaisical half asleep state.

"Guess what 'Ro?" Duo demanded, he was grinning broadly. He put one hand on a hip and sashayed himself to the side of Heero's bed, not looking the least bit repentant at having disturbed him.

"You got the job?" ventured Heero anti-climatically.

Duo sighed "Spoil a good guess Heero," he said, then brightened "Of course I got the job!"

Heero nodded, stifling a yawn and stretching his back out "I'm sure Antonio is very pleased to have him work with you."

Again Heero was unimpressed with Antonio's involvement with Duo. Antonio was the long lost child of Duo's Uncle Howard (though the man wasn't the boy's actual uncle, Duo had told him that he didn't have any blood family left), but the familial connection didn't sweeten Antonio to Heero.

"You should be pleased," Duo replied, stabbing a finger into Heero's chest.

"I am pleased," Heero said, tugging Duo down into a sloppy kiss with one sharp tug on the long haired boy's T-shirt. "I am very happy and proud of you, as I will always be."

"Boy, Yuy, I really didn't know you were this much of a sap," Duo said around the kiss.

Heero felt the grin in Duo's statement and couldn't help but return one of his own. He pulled Duo down onto the bed with him, and into a proper embrace. "When do you start?"

"Saturday," Duo replied in between kisses.

Heero didn't say anything else, preoccupying himself with the activity at hand. He breathed in Duo's musky scent, how the smell of the outdoors and the fall pines clung to him, and felt many of the worries that had built up during the day melt off him.

**X-_X-_X**

_**Hello! I know I'm two months behind on your update, but ironically the free time I thought I would have transformed into unusual not free time. This is a little shorter than usual, but there's a lot of set up.**_

_**I hope you enjoyed reading, as always I would love to hear your thought.**_

_**-AnimeSiren**_


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